Vengeance Games  The Capitol Games
by brigrove
Summary: The Justice Games forces Capitol children to fight to the death.  But Katniss finds out, justice is not what the organisers have in mind.  Now she embarks on a personal fight to save at least one innocent girl.  First story in the Vengeance Games series
1. Chapter 1

"**Vengeance Games" **

**Chapter One**

**By Brian Grove **

**Brian at rescueddoggies dot com**

**Disclaimer – As I'm British and male, it may come as no surprise that I don't own Hunger Games.**

**An experienced beta would be welcome.**

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

POV Ariana Snow

I am Ariana Snow and I am a dead girl walking. A few months ago, the Districts rebelled against the Capitol, where I lived and where my grandfather had been President. My parents were killed in the war, so there's just me and Tatiana, my younger sister, now.

For seventy-five years, as punishment for a previous rebellion, a boy and a girl from each District were sent to the Arena, to fight to the death with the children from the other Districts. Twenty-four went in, one came out alive. It was the biggest show of the year.

A girl, one of the victors, became known as The Mockingjay. She had then led the rebellion against the Capitol and won. As revenge, they decided to hold one last games, using children from the Captol. They called them, the Justice Games.

From the moment the Justice Games were announced, I knew without a doubt that I would be picked. At fifteen years old, I am the only granddaughter of Ex-President Snow within the age range. The Districts wanted their revenge and I am part of that. My younger sister, Tatiana, who was fortunately too young to be at risk for the games, and I, had been prisoners in our own home since the uprising, cared for, if you could call it that, by a rapidly changing succession of hard-faced women, most of whom had lost children to the games. Our parents, both doctors, had been killed, ironically while treating wounded rebels. Bars had been welded over all the windows and there was a permanent guard outside the house, just in case anyone tried to rescue us. Our house had become our prison.

I could help a bitter laugh at the thought of a rescue. The few "carers" who had been from the Capitol had made it clear to us that they were about as popular as fleas on a dog. Our Grandfather, previously the President was blamed by many for getting us into the war in the first place.

The boredom of another afternoon was interrupted by a lot of noises outside and a sharp knock on the door.

Our temporary "carer" and guard went to open it and immediately stood to attention. A girl walked in, instantly recognisable as the most famous killer in Panem, Katniss Everdeen, the Mockingjay.

She looked younger in real life, and more tired than I had expected. She looked around the room, a look of distaste on her face. That look didn't change when she looked at me.

"Bring him in," she ordered.

My grandfather, ex-President Snow, who we never thought we'd see again, stumbled into the room. It was the first time we had seen anyone from our family since the uprising. Apart from each other, he was the only one we had left. Tatiana cried out and ran and tried to jump into his arms, but they were tied behind his back. So Tatiana put her arms around him anyway and broke down into tears.

Grandfather looked at Katniss and she gave a slight nod. "Untie him," she ordered.

The soldier who had pushed him into the room looked at her uncertainly.

"Untie him," Katniss repeated.

This time she was obeyed.

"Thank you," my grandfather said, his voice hoarse with emotion as he hugged Tatiana, then held out an arm to me. My resolve to be emotionless in front of the Mockingjay vanished as I ran to his hug just as my sister had and bust into tears.

Katniss looked away. "Leave us and shut the door," she ordered. A stern look at the hesitation of the guard ensured that she was obeyed.

My grandfather waited until our tears subsided then turned to Katniss. "I know you meant this visit to hurt me, but thank you anyway."

"This isn't a visit," she replied. "It has been decided that we don't need to waste money on employing carers if you care for your own grandchildren, until the games. So your execution has been postponed until a month after the games, on my orders."

I turned to Katniss, overjoyed that at least I'd spend my last weeks with the kindly grandfather I'd admired for so long. "Thank you. You never struck me as being that kind."

"Ariana!" cried Tatiana. "You can't say things like that to her. She could..."

"She could what?" I answered, too sharply. "Kill me? We all know that they are going to do that anyway."

"You don't know that," Tatiana insisted. "You might not be chosen."

"She already has been," Katniss replied shortly.

I don't think I showed any reaction. I'd just known somehow that despite the fiction of a reaping, a choosing at random, that I would be one of the tributes. But hearing it confirmed for the first time still hit me somewhere inside.

Tatiana screamed, "No, No, No," and ran at Katniss, punching her over and over again.

Katniss took her hands, holding them firmly but gently. For the first time her face softened as she looked at me. "I'm sorry, it wasn't my decision."

Grandfather snorted in derision. "You mean, it wasn't your vote which really decided that the games were to be held?"

Katniss didn't deny it. "Yes, I could probably have stopped the games, she admitted. But once the decision was taken, I have had nothing to do with them."

"Washing your hands, leaving others to do the dirty work," Grandfather sneered.

"You'd be the expert on that, wouldn't you?"

Grandfather didn't answer.

"But this is my decision," Katniss said forcefully. "Since your granddaughter is going to play in the games and, let's face it, doesn't stand a chance of coming out alive, I wanted you to stay with her, so when she is picked, you'll suffer like my mother did, like so many other mothers and fathers did. And you'll watch every transmission. You'll see every hurt, every moment of agony and fear. And you'll watch her die, just like Rue's family had to."

"Revenge?" Grandfather asked, trying to make it like his trademark sneer, but his voice was breaking with emotion.

"Yes," the Mockingjay admitted. "That is my revenge, For Rue, for all the other tributes and their families, for District 12, for the hospital in District 8, for so many others."

"Isn't killing me enough?" I asked her. "Isn't having the games enough revenge?"

"The games aren't about revenge," she snapped back at me. She paused for a moment, looking tired again. "May I sit down?"

I nodded and sat down myself, pulling Tatiana onto my lap.

"Your grandfather is right. It was my vote which swayed the decision. When you die, and I am fairly sure they intend to make sure that you do, I will be your murderer, just as I will have murdered the other twenty-two who will die." She was looking me in the eye as she spoke. "I've killed before, been forced to kill before, your loving grandfather made sure of that, but I have never deliberately set out to kill an innocent person before. Now I am killing twenty-three children, each as innocent as I was. But it is NOT about revenge."

There was an earnestness in her expression, almost a desperation. "Then why?" I asked, almost in a whisper.

"The Capitol, even though it lost the war, was barely touched. Almost nobody here saw the horrors, except on television. You are the best educated, the best organised. You also have the biggest and richest population. Even with the anti-Capitol prejudice, in a few generations, perhaps even as little as a few decades, most of those in power will once again be from the Capitol.

"I can't make you understand the horror the Districts have about the games. They will never willingly see their return. None of you in the Capitol can understand the terror of standing in a square waiting to see if your name will be called, or one of your family or friends. Or of being forced to watch in school as your friends fight for their lives and are killed, while those in the Capitol laugh and place bets on whose child will be killed next." She stopped again for a moment, a haunted look on her face. "This way you will. You all will. The games will be a memory of horror and pain here as well, not the entertainment they have always been. It's the best way to make sure that nothing like it ever happens again."

She was silent for almost a minute. "And that's why all the other tributes will be reaped at random, just as we were, to leave no family untouched by the fear and the horror of the games. And the games will be horrific. I don't know what they are planning, but one of the planners has promised that they will be 'memorable'. Nobody will tell me what, but I know they have special plans for you. Yes, I want revenge against your grandfather so much it hurts, but at least, with your grandfather here, you can have a few weeks or normality before you die. I think they owe you that much." Then she got up and went to leave. At the door she turned around.

"There was another reason to have these games," she admitted. "You have no idea how much the Districts hate the Capitol. You've lived in luxury while in many of the Districts we starved to death. Every year we were forced to watch two of our children be murdered for your entertainment. There were those who wanted to wipe out the Capitol, every last one of you. These games are a compromise, a way to diffuse some of that anger." Her last words were almost whispered, "I hope it's enough." She left without another word.

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

From the time the Justice Games were announced they were known as the Vengeance Games. The Districts had seen their children murdered for the entertainment of the Capitol and now they wanted revenge.

Jeff Frobischer had no fear for himself. Even though he was fifteen years old, he was from District 2 and like all the other districts, they had sent two children to "play" every year. Sometimes one even came back.

Then came the announcement. "It has come to light that only the children of the workers were ever entered into the reapings in District 2. Those of the military and the Peacekeepers were never entered. It has therefore been decided that six additional tributes will come from District 2 and this time only the children of the military and the Peacekeepers will be eligible. The three boys and three girls selected will be chosen by a vote of all the workers and their children."

That was the moment when Jeff Frobischer knew he was going to die. Jeff Frobischer senior had been head Peacekeeper until he and his wife had been killed in the uprisings. He had been harsh even with the other Peacekeepers, ruling with a rod of iron. The one daughter of a Peacekeeper who had been a tribute had been the daughter of his deputy, who he had feared was after his job after he had challenged him to loosen his harsh grip on the population.

Because of who his father was, Jeff had been pretty much isolated even before the uprisings and even from the other children of the Peacekeepers. Left alone after the uprisings, he lived from the soup kitchens which had been set up for those who had no work. But even when he went to eat, he was avoided, like he had the plague. Jeff Frobischer senior was hard and cruel, even to his own son, the son that would now pay the price.

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

POV Ariana Snow

I was shaken awake in the middle of the night by the guard who had been stationed outside the door.

"What?" I asked sleepily, by eyes hurting at the bright light.

"Sh! Don't wake anyone. You've got a visitor. Put on something warm."

He left me alone to dress. "Follow me."

We walked through the door that led directly to the corridor that wound it's way for almost a mile under the City to the war bunker. "What's going on?" I asked.

"You'll be told in a minute," he replied without slowing down. "In here."

I stepped into a small empty storage room, empty except for two armchairs. Sitting in one of them was Katniss Everdeen. "Sit down," she told me.

I sat down, uncertain what to say.

We sat there looking at each other for what seemed an age, the girl who won and the girl who was going to die.

"How are you holding up?" she asked me.

"Fine," I answered, as defiantly as I could manage.

"That bad, eh?"

I didn't answer. There didn't seem to be anything to say.

"You know the twenty-four tributes from the Capitol are going to be joined by six from District 2?" she asked me.

"I heard."

"The tributes from District 2 will be selected by a vote." She began to explain how the vote would be held.

I interrupted her. "What has all this to do with me?"

"Organising the vote has pushed the games back a few weeks," she explained. "The Capitol reaping will be held on the third of April."

Any remaining sleepiness left me in that instant. April third was Tatiana's twelfth birthday. "Tatiana! She could be picked!"

Katniss should her head. "Not could be. Will be. Her name will be the last of the girls picked."

I heard an awful agonised howl. Then I realised it had come from me. I had stood up somehow and found myself enveloped in someone's arms. Katniss was crying almost as much as I was.

I tried to push her away, hitting her in the chest. "How could you? How could you?"

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

When I had calmed down a little, I said, "You're the Mockingjay. You can stop them. They'll listen to you."

"Listen to me?" she cried. "Half of them want me in jail for killing their President, the other half don't trust me. It took a week to arrange having a guard I can trust on duty with you tonight so that I could speak with you. They want the family of President Snow dead."

"Why bother telling me?"

"So you can decide if you want to tell Tatiana or wait and let her find out with the others who are picked."

"Wait. Please. It's been hell, these last weeks, knowing I'm going to be killed and probably in the worst way they can find."

She nodded her understanding. "There is something else to consider."

I looked at her, puzzled.

"I could train you both, in secret."

I didn't reply. I couldn't think what to say. All I could think was that my little sister was going to be killed along with me.

The guard came in with coffee then left.

"Drink," Katniss ordered.

"I don't want..."

"Drink! It'll calm you down. I need you to listen and understand."

Obviously it contained some sort of calming draught. I drank.

"They are determined to fix the games," she explained, "to make sure that both of you are killed."

I laughed bitterly. "If you're trying to calm me down, you're got a funny way of doing it."

"Shut up and listen. If not for yourself then for your sister."

I shut up.

"Their plan is to make sure you both make it to the final six, then the others will kill you both. They know neither of you have ever had to do anything physical in your lives."

"Why let us live to the final six?" I asked.

"They want you to suffer. More to the point they want all of the Capitol to see you both suffering. I've argued against this, argued from the position of protecting the integrity of the games, to prevent them from becoming a mockery, the same argument I used to try to stop you and Tatiana from being picked."

"You didn't have much success, then."

"No," she admitted. "But I think we can turn it back on them."

"How?"

"I've deliberately only argued to protect you out of an interest in the integrity of the games, not just to protect you personally. Everyone knows I hate your grandfather and have done since he threatened to kill everyone I loved."

I gasped involuntarily.

"It doesn't matter now. But it's useful. I can turn it against them."

"How?"

"They didn't want either of you to have mentors or anyone to help you. You'd be on your own, though if they had no other choice you'd be given gifts to ensure you stayed alive until the final six."

"Wouldn't want us to die too easily," I said, angrily.

"I pointed out that it would look bad, if you didn't have a mentor, so I volunteered to mentor you myself. They know how much I hate your grandfather so they couldn't jump at the chance fast enough."

"I bet. It even makes them look good. Providing the granddaughters of their enemy with one of the only mentors who's survived two games."

"Their plan for you could backfire. We know you are going to make it to the final six. That's only four you have to defeat."

"Only," I said.

"It's better than twenty-eight."

I didn't comment.

"But even if it all works, I can only try to save one of you."

"Tatiana," I said, firmly.

For the first time, I sure Katniss give a genuine smile. Then it faded. I remembered seeing on some documentary that she originally volunteered to save her sister, but her sister had been killed in the final battles around the Capitol.

"I'm sorry about your sister," I said.

She nodded. "If you hadn't have said Tatiana, I wouldn't have bothered trying to save you," she said, bluntly.

"This is all very good, but why bother?"

"What do you mean?"

"They want us dead. Even if Tatiana survives, she'll be a target. She won't last a week. I think the only reason we're alive now is because of the guards, that and they want to watch me die. How long do you think she'd survive in an orphanage?"

Suddenly there was a fire in Katniss' eyes that I had only seen before on television, and then only once or twice. "If she survives... If we can get her through the games alive, I swear to you if there's no other way to protect her than to adopt her myself, I will protect her. They'll have to kill me first."

I was stunned... and suspicious. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why would you do all this to help us?"

"Because it's not fair!" she cried.

"None of this is fair. The games aren't fair. But you voted for them!"

"I know," she almost deflated visibly before my eyes. "I'd not long before seen my sister blown to bits. There was talk of killing everyone in the Capitol. The Districts wanted revenge. Coin thought this could end it. I had to try, for Prim... for Rue... for all the others."

She broke down completely now and this time I found myself with my arms around her, comforting the girl who had effectively decided my death,

She finally pushed me away. "The last games. All those victors were murdered because your grandfather wanted a way to kill me, publicly. It was more than just being a tribute by chance. It was being victimised, like you and your sister are now."

"I understand," I said.

"No, you don't. I couldn't save Rue. I couldn't save Prim. I have to save Tatiana. I have to save someone." The desperation in her voice matched my own when she'd told me that Tatiana would be picked.

Suddenly, she straightened up. "Perhaps I should have had some of that calming draught," she said.

"Well," she said a minute later, her manner all business once again. "Will you trust me to train you?"

"Yes," I answered without hesitation. "But can Tatiana just come along with me? So she doesn't have to know, to live with this?"

"I don't see why not. It's be in secret though. I'm not supposed to train you yet. It'll be whichever night I can get a guard I can trust.

"I understand."

"You understand there's no guarantee? Nobody that young has ever survived the games. If they were playing it fair, she wouldn't stand a chance."

I nodded.

"So I have to make sure they don't play it fair, that we don't give them a reason to play it fair. They must keep you alive until the final six. They will make it as..." she searched for a word, "unpleasant for you as they can and I can't even try to protect you. In fact, in public, I will be your worst enemy. If we are to have a chance of saving your sister's life, I cannot make it easy on either of you."

Once again I nodded my understanding.

"Make it believable. Protest as much as you like against me being your mentor. I suggest you don't tell your sister of our plan. Let her hate me right up until the last six. Then you can tell her. If she does make it out, tell her she has to trust me, no matter what."

"I'll just remember it was your vote that got us all into this."

She gave a brief start. I added, "That should make it easy to hate me."

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

Author's notes...

** This is my first story for the Hunger Games. Please review.**

**Brian**

**THE STORY SO FAR**

**Chapter 1**

**Ariana Snow, granddaughter of the ex President Snow, learns that not only her, but her little sister are to be murdered at the Justice Games, the only chance to save her sister's life is to trust the Katniss Everdeen, the Mockingjay, the one who voted for the games for the children of the Capitol in the first place.**


	2. Chapter 2

"**Vengeance Games" **

**Chapter Two**

**By Brian Grove **

**Brian at rescueddoggies dot com**

**Disclaimer – I'm writing this on a FANfiction site, so guess what? I don't own Hunger Games.**

**In the previous chapter...**

** Ariana Snow, granddaughter of the ex President Snow, learns that not only her, but her little sister are to be murdered at the Justice Games, the only chance to save her sister's life is to trust the Katniss Everdeen, the Mockingjay, the one who voted for the games for the children of the Capitol in the first place.**

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

POV Ariana Snow

I had barely been escorted back to our quarters when Tatiana put the light on. "Where did you go? I heard you get up then I couldn't find you. I thought someone might have taken you or killed you or anything."

Her voice, which had started calm, was getting faster and raising in pitch.

"Nobody's going to kill me," I assured her, "at least not until they can do it on television."

She punched me, hard. "That's not funny. I nearly woke granddad. Then I thought, you had to have gone with that guard, the new young one." Her eyes opened wider and a look of disgust could be seen on her face. "You haven't been... you know... doing... it... with him?"

I burst out laughing. "No. I haven't been... doing... it... with... the... guard... or... anyone." I punctuated each word by tickling her.

"You promise?" she asked. "No yucky stuff?" I'm not sure why my chastity was so important when I'd be six foot under soon, but it obviously was.

"I promise. No yucky stuff. In fact, IF you can keep a huge secret, next time you can come with me."

"Can I just tell granddad?"

"No! Not even granddad. Not anyone."

She pouted.

"I'm serious, Tat, this isn't a game."

"Then it's about the games," she guessed. An easy guess I suppose.

"Someone has offered to train me," I said. "But she has to do it in secret. If anyone finds out they'll stop her."

"It's that Katniss girl, isn't it?"

"How d'you know?"

"It still hasn't been announced officially that you're a tribute yet. It has to be her."

"Alright, yes it is."

"I don't think you should go."

"Why not?"

"I don't trust her. She hates granddad."

"So does nearly everyone."

"Now," she pointed out. "They didn't before SHE came along. And she voted for the games. I think she's trying to get you killed."

And of course, she was right, in a way. Katniss and I both wanted to save Tatiana and that meant that I had to die.

So our training started in earnest. Katniss taught us how to use a bow and we practiced until our fingers bled. A number of her friends came and went, with lessons on knots and snares, camoflage, how to use knives, both for throwing and stabbing. That one almost ended our training when Tatiana nearly slit my throat by accident. We were running a lot too.

When we thought it could get no tougher, it did. One night as we entered the huge space we were using for training, we were attacked. Putting it crudely, they beat the shit out of us. Tatiana was even coughing up a bit of blood. "Now run!" Katniss shouted at us. "Five times round the hall before I count to one hundred or you get the same treatment again."

We dragged ourselves around, just making it before she reached one hundred. She made us fire three arrows each, none of which went anywhere near the target, then we had to do press-ups until we couldn't do any more. Then iced water was thrown over us to revive us and we had to run again. Half a lap and Tatiana collapsed, struggled to get up and collapsed again. "Keep going," Katniss barked at me. I managed almost another half a lap before throwing up so violently I couldn't get up either.

After a short rest, we had the long and cold walk, or stagger, back to our quarters.

Our bruises the following day were impossible to ignore. Granddad spotted them at once. As he wasn't blind it would have been difficult not to.

"What's going on?"

Him staying up half the night made it impossible for us to sneak out. Finally Katniss came to find out why we'd dropped out of training, only to find granddad sitting there.

"I've been training Ariana," she admitted. "But nobody must know."

"And I've been helping," my younger sister piped up proudly.

Katnis smiled at her.

"Helping's one thing. But getting beaten her up like this? How does that help Ariana?"

There was an awful silence. Then Tatiana said slowly, "It doesn't."

"Then why...?" granddad began, then stopped, as if afraid of what the answer might be.

In a voice incredibly calm, Tatiana said. "They announced last month the reaping was moved, put back."

"Yes?"

"To April the third," Tatiana continued. "The day I become eligible."

She turned to me. "She hasn't had me helping you train, has she? She's been training both of us."

I froze, unable to answer.

Tatiana hadn't finished. "And on my birthday, I'm not just going to be eligible, am I?"

I slightly shook my head, ignoring the tears forming in my eyes.

"I'm going to be reaped, just like you are, aren't I?"

Now I blinked tears from my eyes.

"Yes," said Katniss.

"Go to your rooms, girls," grandad said. "I want to speak to the Mockingjay alone."

I look across to Katniss, but she nodded, so we left.

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

POV Katniss Everdeen

The last time this man I hated so much and I were in a lounge together, he was threatening my family and everyone close to me. Now he looked years older and he was the one who looked frightened. Frightened, but also angry.

"So you hate me so much that you want to kill both my granddaughters. Did you get a kick out of seeing them beaten up like that?"

"Yes, I hate you," I admitted. "But it's the Districts who are determined to kill what's left of your family, not me. I'm just training them, illegally, I might add, to give them a chance that just maybe, one might make it out alive."

"Why? What's in it for you?"

"You know how and why I became the Mockingjay? After I'd refused to allow you to get away with changing the rules on us with that sick twist at the end of the games, you threatened my family and everyone I cared about. Then, when I'd played your charade to try to stop the uprisings, you decided to victimise me again, put me back in the arena, and to get away with it, you put twenty three other victors back in there too. The games were sick, what kind of society gets it's kicks from forcing children to kill each other? But that was worse. Not only did you single me out, but others as well, just to get me. Then you murdered most of District twelve. After all that, while I was actually refusing to play the Mockingjay for them, you used Peeta against me. The uprisings would almost certainly have died out. But you created the Mockingjay. You made me that person."

"That gives you a reason to hate me, but why train the girls? To prove you're better than me?"

I almost laughed. "That wouldn't be hard. I made an awful mistake, voting for these games. I really thought they'd settle things somehow. Hell, I don't even know any more what I thought. And when they deliberately picked Ariana, while pretending to have a fair selection, it felt like I was doing to her what you'd done to me. But they weren't satisfied with that. They made an excuse to involve part of District two, just so the vote would delay things. They are killing six extra children so they could move the reaping back to April third, just so they can kill Tatiana as well.

"In my first games, you murdered Rue, a twelve year-old girl selected by chance. Then , in the final battle Coin murdered Prim, my sister, who was just thirteen. And it wasn't chance. Now, the new administration, not satisfied with choosing to kill Ariana, have chosen to change the rules just to kill Tatiana, another twelve year-old, as if victimising Ariana wasn't bad enough. If there's any chance I can save one of them, I will, but it's for me, for Rue, for Prim and all the others, not for you. And if this gets out, I will be stopped, and right now, whether you like what I am doing or not, I am their only real chance."

He nodded. "I appreciate what you are trying to do. But wouldn't it be better to concentrate your efforts?"

"What do you mean?"

"No twelve year-old has ever won the games. Or even come close. No matter how good you are, you cannot save them both. You'd have a better chance if you put all your effort into saving Ariana."

I heard a gasp from somewhere behind him. "I'd better go now, and leave you to explain to your twelve year-old granddaughter why you don't think she's worth trying to save."

"I didn't mean it like that."

"Tell her, not me."

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The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The next training session, Tatiana didn't show. I asked Ariana if she was sick, but she replied, "She thinks if granddad doesn't think she's worth trying to save, why should you?"

"Go back and get her. Tell her if she's not down here in ten minutes, I'm not training either of you ever again."

Ariana disappeared up the passage as fast as should could run. She returned just within the ten minutes with Tatiana running behind her, still in her pyjamas.

At my questioning look, when she could breathe slowly enough to speak, Tatiana replied, "She wouldn't even give me time to get dressed."

"Start running," I ordered. Ariana began to move off then stopped when she was that Tatiana wasn't moving.

"Katniss. Granddad doesn't think I'm worth saving..."

"I'm sure that's not how he feels," I assured her. "He just doesn't think there's much chance of being able to save you."

"And you don't think Ariana's worth saving," she stated.

"I..."

"You won't train her unless I'm here with her. From what you told granddad, if I hadn't been picked, you wouldn't have even tried to save Ariana."

"When I heard Ariana had been picked, I was upset. It was unfair. But a lot of things are unfair. But then they changed the rules, are going to murder six extra children, just to give them an excuse to delay the reaping to your birthday, so they can murder you as well and wipe out the last of the family. On top of that they are going to discourage others from forming alliances with either of you and put pressure on sponsors NOT to sponsor you. They weren't even going to let you have a mentor. As if all that isn't enough, they want to fix it so that you both make it to the last half dozen, keep you alive as long as possible, but make you both suffer as much as possible. You're going to be portrayed at the ones they will love to hate, all that's left of the President's family. Nobody is going to want to help you. And if one of you does the impossible and survives, they want to kill you anyway. I couldn't stand by and do nothing."

Tatiana's face had gone completely pale. Obviously Ariana hadn't told her sister everything I had told her at our first meeting.

She was quiet for a while. "Why me? That's explains why you've decided to help us, but why save me and not Ariana?"

"You mean, apart from the fact that Ariana told me to? Because the only way you'll survive is if people feel sorry for you. And being just twelve years old, chosen on your birthday, will help that a lot. It's easier to make them feel sorry for a twelve year-old. Especially when you'll have such a bastard for a mentor that people will be outraged that the organisers and I are treating you so badly. And that gets you sympathy. And that sympathy might just keep you alive, after the games. One other thing. I'm going to be eighteen soon. I've told Ariana, if you do get through this, I will adopt you to protect you."

"Adopt me?"

"Nobody's going to take it seriously if I tried to adopt a fifteen, nearly sixteen year-old. But a twelve year-old. That's possible. If you agree to it."

She looked stunned. "If there is a way you can save us both, will you?"

"There won't be..."

"But if there is?"

"If there is any way, then yes, I will save you both. I wish I could."

"And if something happens... If I die, promise me you'll try to save Ariana?"

"I promise."

"Good. Now all I have to do is die first."

"Don't you dare! I need you both alive as long as possible. You're the only allies each other are likely to have. Now, get running like I told you."

Tatiana struggled to run while holding up her pyjama bottoms. They weren't designed to run in and kept falling down. Finally I shouted at her, "Take the bloody things off!"

She looked at me, shaking her head in shock. "I can't. I've got nothing on underneath."

"For god's sake, you've got nothing I haven't seen before. Take them off."

"Please don't make me."

"Take them off right now, or I'm out of here and I won't come back."

Ariana looked at me, not able to understand why I was being so cruel to her younger sister.

"I'm waiting."

Tatiana dropped her pyjama trousers. I could see the tears in her eyes.

"Now run," I yelled. "And if you want to live, next time you do what I say, when I say it, without question, do you understand?"

She nodded as she ran.

"Keep running." I stepped out into the corridor so they didn't see the tears in my own eyes.

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

April third.

Like almost everyone else outside of District two, I watch the reaping in District two on television. In an new cruel twist, they announced the six in reverse order of votes, with the one who received the most votes being last to be called up.

"So how does it feel to be the most hated teenager in the district?" the obnoxious interviewer asked a boy who looked to be about fifteen or sixteen.

"Nothing new," the boy answered, much calmer than I would have been in such a situation. "They all hated my father, so they hate me because I'm his son. What they don't realise is that he hated me too, so if he was alive now he'd be laughing his head off, seeing me up here."

The screen said his name was Jeff Frobischer, son of the head Peacekeeper in the District. No wonder he was used to being unpopular.

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

I looked up again when the screen changed to the reaping in the Capitol. The announcer could hardly contain herself. "Welcome to the main reaping for the Justice Games, when at last the Capitol is made to pay for the sufferings it has inflicted on the Districts each year with the Hunger Games. Twelve girls and twelve boys will face the ultimate challenge in the arena and only one will come out alive, if they can beat the six from District two."

I felt sick watching her jubilation at the impending death of twenty-nine children. The mockery of the sporting contest in years past was bad enough, but this bitch was overjoyed at the murders to come. I wanted to kill her myself.

"What have I done?" I whispered.

Peeta, sitting beside me, took my hand. "I hate to say it, but having visited the Districts in the last few months, Coin was probably right. Without something like this, the Districts were set on a massacre."

"If I was so right, why do I feel so wrong?"

"Because you've still got a heart?"

"In a few days you'll be the only one in Panem to believe that."

"And now the name of the first girl to represent the Capitol. Ariana Snow, granddaughter of our recent President, currently awaiting his execuion. Well, Ariana, it looks like you may be joining your grandfather in death. How do you feel about that?"

As I'd instructed, Ariana remained silent.

"How old are you, Ariana? Can you manage to answer that?"

"I'm fifteen."

"Fifteen. Well, you've a one in thirty chance of making to sweet sixteen. Ariana Snow, ladies and gentlemen."

Ariana was led to her seat as the other girls were called.

"And our last young lady is..." She held up the slip of paper dramatically waving it around. "Tatiana Snow, twelve years old today and our ex-President's other grand daughter. My, we are in high flying company today, aren't we?"

Laughter all around.

Like Ariana, Tatiana was pale, from the make-up I'd given her the day before, knowing that the cameras wouldn't be on her until her name was called. She looked totally shocked and had to be helped onto the stage.

"Hmm. Don't think we'll bother trying to interview her. I wonder how long she'll last in the Arena?"

"Do you think anyone will mind if I kill that bitch?" I asked Peeta, only partly joking.

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

Four hours later, all the tributes from the Capitol and District Two were herded, there's no other word for it, into a hall.

The bitch I wanted to kill was speaking again. "And now we present the mentors."

I walked onto the makeshift stage. "But who's this we have here? The Mockingjay? This is unexpected."

"The name's Katniss," I said as harshly as I could manage, delighted when my tone wiped the smirk off of her face. "Katniss Everdeen, just a tribute from District twelve, where most of the innocent population were murdered by President Snow. I'm here for my tributes."

"And they are?"

"Arena Snow and Tatiana Snow. Nobody else wanted the brats, so I volunteered. Come on you two. Follow me. And no messing around. You're not in the Presidential Palace now."

The two girls walked towards me. "Through that door. Number 15. Come on, get a move on. I've got short enough time as it is to turn you into tributes." As Ariana opened the door, I roughly pushed Tatiana and she fell into Ariana and both fell through the doorway. "Get up, you clumsy bitches. Move!" The heavy soundproofed door closed behind us and all three of us burst out laughing.

"I hope I didn't overdo it," I said. "That bitch out there was perfect. I could have killed her if she hadn't been playing right into our hands. And you were both perfect. Ariana, looking scared but resigned and Tatiana, I really thought you were going to faint at the reaping."

"So did I," she said. "It's one thing knowing it's going to happen. But when they call your name, it's suddenly real. They really hate us, don't they?"

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

Author's notes...

** This is my first story for the Hunger Games. Please review.**

**Brian**

**THE STORY SO FAR**

**Chapter 1**

**Ariana Snow, granddaughter of the ex President Snow, learns that not only her, but her little sister are to be murdered at the Justice Games, the only chance to save her sister's life is to trust the Katniss Everdeen, the Mockingjay, the one who voted for the games for the children of the Capitol in the first place.**

**Chapter 2**

**Training and the reapings. **


	3. Chapter 3

"**Vengeance Games" **

**Chapter Three**

**By Brian Grove **

**Brian at rescueddoggies dot com**

**Disclaimer – Even though this is the third chapter, I still don't own Hunger Games.**

**In the previous chapter...**

** Training and the reapings. **

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

In the official training I made them concentrate on learning what they could and couldn't eat in the Arena. This was something we couldn't know beforehand. If nothing else it took their minds off of the truth that had been brought home to them at the reaping...

Everyone hated them and wanted to see them die. The Districts hated them as they were the symbol of the President who'd been killing their children for years. For the Capitol, they were a scapegoat. Nobody wanted to admit how they'd supported years of these murderous games, not to mention the thousands of other people murdered by starvation or brutality in the Districts. It was easier to blame the President for all that and for leading the Capitol to a humiliating defeat. And he wasn't here, but Ariana and Tatiana were. Even the other tributes had caught on to hatred. They would find no alliances for them. All the hatred due to their grandfather was falling on them.

And, somehow, I had to change that.

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

By night-time, the pressure was getting to me. If they were to stand any chance of survival, I had to separate them from their grandfather in the minds of the audience. I had to turn hatred into compassion.

Alone in the night, I doubted that I could do it. In the next few days, twenty-nine innocent children were going to die, because of me. I had become Snow. I had become Coin, who I had killed for murdering my sister. I was the Mockingjay and I couldn't even save one little one. And I thought about what I was going to do to Tatiana and Ariana tomorrow. I felt much older than my years. I knew what had happened. At some point in the last few weeks, they had stopped being a project, an exercise in restoring justice to these twisted hate-filled games. I had grown to care very much about these two girls like they were my own. And I was probably going to watch them both die, horribly. Was this what it was like for my mother? For all the other parents? For the first time since Prim, I cried.

I felt arms around me. "Hey, it'll be alright."

It was Ariana.

"You should be sleeping," I said.

"So should you."

"Can't sleep," I said.

"Nor can I."

"Scared?" I asked her.

"No," she said with surprise. "I thought I would be, but that's not what I feel at all. Well, maybe a bit. I can't stop thinking."

"What about?"

"How much everyone hates us. It makes me think perhaps it's better to die, like this, than to survive, hated by everyone."

"Don't think like that. In the games, if you give up, you die."

"What have we got to live for now?" she asked me honestly. "Who gives a damn about us?"

"I do. I've... I... I love you both. If there is any way, anyway I can save you both, I swear..."

I could see she was affected by what I'd just said. "Just save Tatiana. Whatever it costs, whatever you have to do to us, save my sister and take her away from here."

"I'm trying to."

"I know."

"You're both going to hate me tomorrow."

"I won't. And Tat won't either."

"I have to stop them hating you."

"I know."

"When they look at you they see your grandfather."

"I know."

"If I can't change that, if I can't make them feel sorry for you, you'll both die."

"I know."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

She just said, "I know."

She held me again as I wept. I noticed that she didn't ask me what I was planning for the next day.

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The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

I couldn't face either of the girls the next day. I had Peeta wake them up very early and send them off to the stylist with a message from me. "Do what they say, without question."

It was a long day. Peeta tried to distract me, but nothing helped. Each minute seemed like an hour.

Peeta shook me awake. "Huh? What's happening?"

"You fell asleep," he replied.

"You shouldn't have let me," I complained.

"You needed it, and there was nothing you could do anyway."

"What time is it?"

"Time for the chariots. Are you coming? You don't have to watch, you know."

"Yes, I do. They'll need me for the stylists' interviews anyway."

"Why?"

"Because she's going to say the design was ordered by me."

"Was it?"

"Yes."

I had one of the girls from Ariana's prep team do my make-up and erase the marks of tears and lack of sleep. Ariana would be in Chariot fourteen, with a boy I didn't know. Tatiana would be in the last.

As usual the costumes were amazing. The stylist and I were led onto the platform as the turn for chariot fourteen came around. Trying to ignore the frozen look on Ariana's face, I felt slightly sorry for the boy. Once they saw Ariana, he was hardly noticed. His stylist was quickly interviewed then the presenter turned to Jacienta, the stylist for Ariana and Tatiana.

"So, Jacienta, tell us about your outfit, if you can call it that, for Ariana."

Jacienta looked slightly cross at the "if you can call it that" comment. "As their mentor, the Mockingjay, is from District twelve, we used coal as the theme. Both girls legs and arms are stained with coal dust, we also used it in their blond hair as well. Then the writing is in black as well, but you'll have to ask the Mockingjay about that. The girls' mentor thought it would make an interesting contrast with their naturally pale naked torso, don't you think?"

What the presenter thought was missed as there was a loud gasp from the crowd. The final Chariot had come into view and when she saw the crowd, Tatiana's legs simply went from under her. We were treated to the sight of her being dragged back to a standing position by one of the men standing guard at the back of the Chariot. I forced myself not to look upset or concerned.

Quickly the presenter interviewed the stylist for the boy standing next to Tatiana, who had looked at her with derision.

The presenter turned to me, with an almost identical look of disgust she failed to keep off her face. "Tell us, Katniss. What were you trying to achieve with these designs?"

"Humiliation," I replied bluntly. "As their grandfather has humiliated and murdered hundreds of us over the years. When all their fine clothes are stripped away, what are they? Two insignificant girls, just like any others."

"And the writing? Can we get close-ups? Good. Katniss, tell us about the writing."

"On the front of Ariana we painted 'In memory of District 12' which is in memory of the thousands murdered by their grandfather in the bombing of my home district. On Tatiana's tummy it reads, 'Hospital, District Eight' where innocent injured men, women and children were murdered by their grandfather. On her chest, one name, Rue, the little girl from District Eleven who died in my arms, coincidentally the same age as Tatiana.

"On the back of each of them we have tattooed, obviously in very small writing, the names of every tribute murdered under the rule of their grandfather."

"Tattooed? Isn't that a bit drastic?"

I forced myself to laugh. "They're going to die. What does it matter if they are scarred for life?"

"And if one of them doesn't?"

"Then she will be a living memorial to those who were murdered."

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The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

After it was over and the girls had showered they were brought to my lounge. Tatiana was still literally shaking. Even Ariana looked at me with distrust, the warmth of the previous night replaced by a coldness and hurt.

On every television channel they were discussing the two girls, and their mentor. A photo of a naked Tatiana, her legs collapsed, being held up forcibly by a guard was being flashed around everywhere.

Tatiana shivered. "Do we have to watch it?" she asked.

"I need to see the reaction," I answered her.

"That's easy," she said bitterly. "They all think I'm pathetic and won't last five minutes in the games, and they're right."

"I thought I'd be all right," said Ariana. "We'd had all day to get used to the idea, and once they'd finished there wasn't so much pain from the tattoo needles, but when I came out, and they all started laughing at me..."

"Katniss," Tatiana asked hesitantly. "Ariana said that last night you told her you loved us. Is that true?"

"Yes."

Struggling not to cry, she asked, "Then how could you do that to us?"

As I wondered how to explain, the door opened and Peeta came in. The girls were in fairly flimsy nightdresses as their backs we still too sore for anything heavier. Instinctively, Tatiana tried to cover herself with her hands.

"Hi, girls. You both did brilliantly, all three of you did," he added, looking at me.

"Peeta, I was about to try to explain to Tatiana why I was so mean to her today, putting her through all that."

"Let's listen to what you said on camera," he suggested.

"Do we have to?" Tatiana asked.

"I think you need to understand," said Peeta.

Reluctantly, Tatiana nodded her assent.

"Firstly, once Ariana appeared, nobody was interested in anyone else."

"They were just laughing at me though."

"Now listen when Tatiana comes out." Tatiana was watching the screen through gaps in her fingers, trying to hide.

"Hear that gasp?" said Peeta. "Even before you collapse, they are shocked that we could treat a little girl like that."

"So was I," Tatiana said, a little of her fiestiness returning.

"Now watch the presenter's reaction to what Katniss says. Even she looks shocked, even a little upset, when Katniss says the designs are to humiliate you. When Katniss says by stripping you it shows you are just insignificant girls, just like any others, that's exactly what she does. In spite of her hateful tone, by not letting you have any fancy outfits, she's reminded them, you are just two girls, nothing to do with any President or anyone powerful, just two girls, being exposed and made fun of and soon to be killed for their entertainment, when it could just as easily be their own daughters. Then, by writing Rue's name on your chest, she made them think of you the same way they thought of Rue, an innocent victim."

"What's been the reaction?" I asked.

"Anger, mostly, according to the studios. Some of the people who wanted to see both girls dead yesterday are complaining about how they are being treated." He laughed. "One guy rang up a talk show and asked where he could return his Mockingjay pin to as this wasn't what he fought for. I think you gave them a different target for their hate."

Tatiana looked puzzled. "Who?" she asked.

Ariana turned to me and said, "You. You're making them hate you instead, aren't you?" She turned to Peeta, distressed and said, "Peeta, stop her. You can't let her do this."

"Stop her?" Peeta snorted. "How? She's the Mockingjay. It would be easier stopping the sunrise."

Tatiana giggled.

"Katniss," Ariana said. "I've seen how people react to you, how they respect you. You're important to them. You matter. You can't throw that away. I won't let you lose all that."

"Lose?" I asked, almost hysterically. "Lose the Mockingjay? I never wanted to be the Mockingjay. If I don't do this, I'll lose Katniss, I'll lose the girl who originally volunteered just to save her sister. I'll lose me. I'll lose what little is left of who I am."

Dammit. I was crying again. I hardly cried when Dad died. I cried when Rue died, and again after Prim. But since I met these two, it's all I seem to do. Peeta was hesitant, never sure what to do around crying women. It was Ariana's arms around me now. A girl who is going to die comforting the girl who voted the hold the games that are going to kill her.

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

Author's notes...

** This is my first story for the Hunger Games. Please review.**

**Brian**

**THE STORY SO FAR**

**Chapter 1**

**Ariana Snow, granddaughter of the ex President Snow, learns that not only her, but her little sister are to be murdered at the Justice Games, the only chance to save her sister's life is to trust the Katniss Everdeen, the Mockingjay, the one who voted for the games for the children of the Capitol in the first place.**

**Chapter 2**

**Training and the reapings. **

**Chapter 3 **

**The chariots.**


	4. Chapter 4

"**Vengeance Games" **

**Chapter Four**

**By Brian Grove **

**Brian at rescueddoggies dot com**

**Disclaimer – I know it's shocking, but I still don't own Hunger Games.**

**In the previous chapter...**

** The chariots. **

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

As expected, and as I'd told them to, they did badly in the scoring which would influence any potential sponsors.

Ariana got a three and Tatiana received the first zero in living memory.

It was time to prepare for the interviews.

As Peeta put it, we had a "discussion" about it. More like a blazing row. "You can't do this. I'm going to tell them what you are doing," Ariana was screaming at me.

I went to my bedroom and came back with my bow. "Here," I said, offering it to her. "If you're going to do that, kill Tatiana now. It'll be kinder that what they've got in store for her."

Ariana almost screamed in frustration and began to cry. Peeta put his arms around her and held her while giving me a glare.

"I will get into the TV control room," I said, firmly. "Say a word about my plan to stop them hating you and I will cut off the feed."

"Can I at least tell them how everything was fixed to get Tatiana killed as well?"

"They definitely won't allow that to go out," Peeta pointed out. "They'll take the mike away from Ariana and cut the feed in the control room."

"Unless," I thought aloud. "Unless I do pay a visit to the control room. Peeta, if I can get you close to Ariana, can you keep them from taking her mike away? It's asking a lot, I know..."

"Yes," he said without hesitation. Of course he didn't know quite what it would be asking.

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The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

I couldn't help a grin as we left for the interviews. The Prep team had done wonders... on Peeta, a dress, wig, and enough make-up to convince me that he was one of the prep team, the only other people allowed near the interview stage. They also put me in a reproduction of my Mockingjay outfit.

He saw my grin. "Don't say a word," he said as he glared at me. "Not one word."

As the two girls were sisters and had the same mentor, the producer had decided to put their two interviews together, one directly after the other. They'd be the last to be interviewed. After each pair of tributes were interviewed, their mentor was given the chance to say a few words. They'd decided Ariana's interview was to be the first of the two, then Tatiana, and finally me. Ariana was dressed in a simple plain dress that covered her completely and looked like it was designed for a child, not the young woman we had all seen the day before. I noticed that the whole production team were treating her more gently now since the scandal of the chariots. I made my way to the control room.

"How do you feel about your preparation for the Games?" she was asked.

"I'm as prepared as I can be," she answered honestly, "but I am going to die for a worthy cause."

Her bluntness surprised everyone. Nobody had ever done an interview blatantly admitting that they had no chance. It wasn't the way to attract sponsors.

"You don't think you can win?"

"It doesn't matter," she said. "You know the previous victors voted to hold these games? The Districts hated the Capitol so much that they wanted to wipe us all out."

I could see the controller looking worried. Should he cut the feed?

"And they were right to hate us. For longer than I've been alive we of the Capitol have enjoyed watching the children of the Districts slaughter each other for our entertainment."

The controller wasn't looking worried now. Ariana was giving them the best propaganda they could have, a tribute, justifying the Justice Games.

"We've laughed and made bets. Some have grown rich on the blood of innocent children, who were just like me. It was President Coin's idea that a final games, using children from the Capitol, might stop the Districts wiping us all out. Katniss said she voted for the games partly for that and partly because she wanted the people of the Capitol to learn just how horrible and unacceptable it was to kill children for your fun and for political control. She might hate us for who our grandfather was, but she was right. The games were unacceptable."

Peeta told me later that you couldn't hear a pin drop anywhere near the interview platform.

"If me dying means that this can never ever happen again, then it will be worth it. And if I'm here because my grandfather was the man who ordered twenty-three children to their deaths every year, then I suppose it is a kind of justice."

In the control room I could see the monitor for the close-up on the presenter and she looked teared up. A prep girl had to quickly touch up her make-up before they could switch the camera back to her. Just as well, as Ariana's time was up and she wasn't finished.

"But one thing isn't just. My younger sister was too young to be picked, so they changed the date."

Peeta told me later one of the technicians had begun to move forward to take her mic. Peeta grabbed him and said roughly (as he pulled his wig off), "Don't even think about it or the Mockingjay will kill you."

"They'll just cut the feed anyway."

"Then let them be the ones she kills."

In the Control Room, the controller did try to cut the feed. He reached out for the switch to cut the feed then froze as I slammed my own hand down on his. "Security!" he cried out.

I raised my other hand, my bow was up, an arrow already loaded. I said, "Cut the feed and you won't live to see the games." I released his hand and stepped back, the arrow pointing at his head, the bow primed. He took a long look at my outfit and moved his hand far away from the cut switch.

Sometimes I hate being known as the Mockingjay, but sometimes it has its purpose.

"The organisers chose to cause a delay," Ariana was saying, "by holding a vote in District two, just so they could push back the date of the reaping. Can anyone really believe that it was a coincidence that it was held on her twelfth birthday? And then that she was picked, supposedly at random? To make sure they killed both the grandchildren of President Snow, they were willing to murder the six extra children from District Two. Even if my sister were to win, I don't think she'd live to see her next birthday. Someone has decided that we are both to die. Fine. I just ask everyone one thing. Let us be the last. Let the killings end here."

The passion in her voice make even me gulp with emotion. Ariana handed back her microphone to the technician.

The presenter had found her voice. As Ariana walked away, the presenter said, "A call I'm sure we can all echo. The organisers always wanted these Justice games to be an end to the killings. It is encouraging to see that one of the tributes agrees. Now our final tribute. Tatiana Snow."

I had to leave the Control Room to be ready for my own interview. I'd just told Tatiana to be herself. I wasn't particularly worried that she'd say anything too wrong or difficult for me to handle. To rub in the face of how young she was, I'd made her wear her school uniform.

"Hello Tatiana, our youngest tribute for quite a few years. I can't remember the last time someone was reaped on her twelfth birthday. How does it feel to be the final tribute in the final games?"

"Scary," she admitted.

"I'm sure we can understand that. Your sister doesn't think that she can win. How do you rate your chances?"

"Sorry?" Tatiana looked puzzled.

"Do you think you can win?"

"Of course not. Nobody my age has ever come out of the games alive." I hoped everyone was as moved as I was by her bravery. She went on, "But Ariana was right. If it means we are the last to be killed, at least our lives will have been worth something. I don't agree with her on everything though."

"No?"

"No. I don't think Katniss really hates us. I'm not sure she even hates our grandfather."

"Why's that?"

"Because she let him come to live with us the last few weeks, since she knew that Ariana was picked and thought that I would be too. Our parents were doctors and never had much time. And before they died, grandfather never had much time either. We only saw him once every few months when he wasn't busy being the President."

"Your parents died?"

"They were killed in the war. They were trying to help a man who'd had his legs blown off. People told us they were caught in cross... cross something."

"Crossfire?"

"That's it. Crossfire. We found out afterwards that the man was a rebel. But that wouldn't have mattered to them anyway. He was badly injured, that's all that would have mattered to them."

"Did he survive?"

"No. So they died for nothing really."

"I doubt your parents would have seen it that way."

"Probably not," Tatiana agreed. "And we'll see them soon, won't we?"

"It sounds like your parents were two very brave people."

Tatiana smiled.

"Yes, they were."

"Like their daughters."

"Ariana's brave. I'm not. I'm scared shitless. Oh! Am I allowed to say shitless?"

A genuine smile from the presenter. "I think we'll forgive you just this once. Now I have to interview your mentor."

I stepped onto the stage, giving a nod with my head to tell Tatiana to go back to her place. I heard an audible gasp from a number of people around us. My Mockingjay outfit, combined with my bow obviously made an impression.

"Katniss, or should I call you Mockingjay?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"I think this is the first time you've appeared as the Mockingjay since the end of the war. Is there a reason for wearing that today?"

"Yes. This is the end of the war. The war began with the Capitol making war on twenty four of us, innocent children from the Districts. Now it ends with the Districts making war on the equally innocent children from the Capitol. It seems kind of appropriate. Just as we paid the price for the rebellion eighty years ago, these thirty children will pay the debt due to the Districts for the tributes who have gone before them. The two girls understand that it is their place in history to pay the debt due for all the previous killings. But the killings must end here, as Ariana rightly said."

"Mockingjay. Can I ask a personal question?"

"You can ask."

"Over the last few days, many of us have been left with the impression that you hate the two children you are mentoring. If it is true that you hate them so much, why did you agree to mentor them?"

"They were the President's grandchildren. Nobody else wanted to. It's ironic that President Snow threatened to kill my family, although it was actually President Coin who arranged the murder of my sister."

That stunned her.

"But that's a story for another time," I said, cutting off the reaction that was coming. "President Snow threatened everyone who was close to me. He kidnapped and tortured the man who is now my fiancé and had him programmed to kill me. It seems ironic that his only family are now in my hands. You know as well as I do that the chances are that both will die. Certainly one of them has to die. That is why I brought President Snow to live with his grandchildren. He's had time to get close to them for the first time. Now, just as he forced so many families before, he will be forced to watch his innocent granddaughters suffer and die for the entertainment of others. That is why his execution was delayed, so that he can suffer as he has made others suffer for so long. Justice will be done."

I didn't give her a chance to reply. I had said all I wanted to say and got up and left, the crowd moving aside to let me pass.

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The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

Back in our suite, I hugged Ariana and then Tatiana. "You were both brilliant. Your bravery and your wishes that this will be the last won't just be talked about tonight. If, sometime in the future, someone tries to bring the games back, I can see your interviews been played over and over again to stop them."

"You think so?"

"I'm sure of it. Two days ago, all they could see were two offspring of President Snow and they hated you for it. Now they see two incredibly brave innocent girls, prepared to die to pay a debt that isn't theirs to pay, and who think it is worth dying if it stops future children from having to do so. Add to that, it is obvious that you are being forced into this unfairly by the politicians, manipulated and badly treated even by the mentor who is supposed to be helping you, used by everyone. And if that wasn't enough, your parents were heroes who gave their lives trying to help a dying man, who happened to be a rebel. I just hope we haven't overdone it."

"What do you mean?"

"We're depending on them wanting to drag out your ordeal, to suffer as long as possible," I pointed out. "That way we can be sure you at least make it to the final half dozen. I'm afraid this could yet backfire on you."

Ariana took my hands in hers. "If it does. It's not your fault. You tried. Without you neither of us would have stood a chance. Just do me one favour?"

"Anything I can."

"If someone does try to start the games again. Stop them."

"I swear it."

Tatiana seemed very subdued since the interviews. "What's up, Tat?" Ariana asked.

"Katniss..." she said.

"Yes?"

"Did you mean it when you said you'd adopt me? Do you really want to?"

"I want to very much," I replied. "If that's what you want."

"Won't I get in the way? I always did before."

"You'll never be in the way, I promise you."

"Then I want to too."

The moment was interrupted by the arrival of food. High calorie, low bulk, just as I'd ordered.

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The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

Over Tatiana's protests, I had insisted that the girls had an early night. To my pleasant surprise, they were both sleeping, curled up together on Ariana's bed.

My own sleep was interrupted in the middle of the night by a knock on the door. I opened it to find one of the other tributes.

"What do you want? If anyone catches you here, you'll be in trouble."

"Mockingjay!" he moaned. "Of all the bad luck. I guess you can call the organisers now."

"Who are you? Why did you come here ?"

"I'm..." He looked like he'd rather run instead of giving me his name.

"Don't even think about it. You'd never make it. Now who are you and why have you come?"

"I'm Jeff Frobischer, one of the tributes from District Two."

"You'd better come in, before anyone sees you." ... "Sit down."

"Is it true? What the older sister said?"

"Ariana?"

"Yes, her. Is it true what she said, about only adding tributes from my District so they could delay the reaping and get her sister too?"

"Yes, it's true. Was that all?"

"Yes, no, yes."

"Decisive."

"I just wanted to tell Ariana something. But it's okay. I'll tell her tomorrow if I get the chance."

"You could always tell me."

"You? You hate her!"

"Keep your voice down. I'm trying to make sure she sleeps."

"Too late," said Ariana from behind me. "I heard voices."

I looked at the Frobischer kid and decided. "I'll leave you to talk. If you need me I'm in my room.

Ariana came into my room a minute later, looking pale. "Katniss. You need to hear this."

I followed her out into the lounge.

"Tell her what you told me," Ariana said.

"Are you sure?"

"You can trust her. I do."

Jeff's eyes opened a little wider in surprise. Then he began. "These aren't going to be normal games," he said. "Are you sure?" he asked Ariana, still not able to believe that she wanted him to trust me..

"Everything."

"There's going to be nothing to drink and hardly anything to eat. The organisers will drop packets with water and food, but there's a price. We are to do anything we can to hurt Ariana and her sister. The more we hurt them, the more food and water we get. But nobody is allowed to kill either of them until we are down the last six, or we won't get any more water or food at all. Once we are down to the last six, the only ones who will get food and water are those who kill either of them." He looked at me accusingly. "You knew!"

"I heard they were planning on making them suffer as long as possible before killing them, yes. I didn't know the details."

"When I said I was going to bed, they were talking about how they could do it, without the audience knowing that you weren't allowed to be killed. It mustn't look like it's fixed. And they were trying to come up with ideas, what they could do to them. You're the Mockingjay. You must be able to stop this."

"I was unable to stop them being picked. I was unable to stop them picking the six of you from District Two, just so they could get Tatiana as well. The people behind this are much more powerful than me. That you for telling us, Jeff. I think you'd better get back before you get caught."

He nodded, got up and left.

"Katniss, I'm scared." The poor girl wasn't just white as a sheet, she was shaking. I put my arms around her.

"Ariana. I swear I'll find out who's behind this. I'll make them pay."

"That's not going to help us now, though. If you do manage to get Tatiana out alive, will do you me a favour?"

"Anything."

"Remind her every day how much I loved her."

"Twice a day, at least," I promised her.

"Please don't tell Tatiana, what we heard tonight. She's already scared enough."

"I won't. We won't get much time to talk tomorrow, so I'll tell you now how much I admire you, the way you're handling this. Never mind who your grandfather is, you're worth at least twenty of those who hate you. If there is a way to get you out of this alive, I will find it, I promise you."

She nodded. "If you can't save either of us, thank you for trying. Thank you for seeing us and not just the President's grandchildren."

"It's nothing."

"It's not nothing. Even our so-called friends turned on us. Yet you, who had every reason to hate us, have risked so much to help us. I see why the rebels looked up to you, why they'd follow you into battle, because I'd do the same. With mom and dad always working, Tatiana depended on me a lot. We were close than most sisters. If you do manage to save her, there's nobody I'd feel better about trusting her to."

There was nothing else to say. I didn't think either of us would get any sleep, but I woke up on the sofa with her laying in my arms.

I sat there wishing desperately I could turn back the clock, to change my vote on whether to hold these games.

"Don't!"

Ariana had woken up. "Don't what?" I asked her.

"Don't feel guilty."

"I am guilty. It's my fault you're probably going to die. How can I not be guilty about that."

"Rubbish. The amount the Districts hated all of us in the Capitol, Coin was probably right. This was the only way to stop a massacre. And you've seen how everyone hated Tatiana and me. Even if there wasn't a massacre and the games didn't happen, just how long do you think we'd have lived? Six months? Maybe a year before someone killed us both?"

I looked away from her.

"Katniss. I need you to stop this. Tatiana needs you at one hundred percent to save her. You don't have the luxury of this. Please. All the energy you're wasting in blaming yourself, put it into ways to help my sister.

"Okay."

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

Author's notes...

** This is my first story for the Hunger Games. Please review.**

**Brian**

**THE STORY SO FAR**

**Chapter 1**

**Ariana Snow, granddaughter of the ex President Snow, learns that not only her, but her little sister are to be murdered at the Justice Games, the only chance to save her sister's life is to trust the Katniss Everdeen, the Mockingjay, the one who voted for the games for the children of the Capitol in the first place.**

**Chapter 2**

**Training and the reapings. **

**Chapter 3 **

**The chariots.**

**Chapter 4 **

**The interviews and they hear news on the night before the games.**


	5. Chapter 5

"**Vengeance Games" **

**Chapter Five**

**By Brian Grove **

**Brian at rescueddoggies dot com**

**Disclaimer – I still don't own Hunger Games.**

**In the previous chapter...**

** The interviews and they hear news on the night before the games.**

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

Breakfast was rushed, but I insisted that both Ariana and Tatiana eat something for energy. As we were about to leave, Peeta came rushing in waving some papers. "Sign!" he said, almost throwing a pen at me.

"What is it? We have to go. I'll read it later."

"Just sign them, damn you!"

The urgency in his voice made me sign.

"Now you, Tatiana. Here, there and... there. And we need your signature too, Ariana. Three times. There, there... and there."

"Congratulations, Ariana and Tatiana Everdeen, residents of District twelve."

"Will that actually get them out of the games?"I asked.

"No. It would have had to be done before," he replied. "But I just thought it would come in useful, if only to protect them if either of them do survive the games."

"I should have done this earlier," I cried.

"It wouldn't have worked," Peeta said. "There was no way they were going to allow these two not to be picked. Anyway, the rules say that someone is eligible or not eligible according to their details at the time the games are officially announced, except for age, when it's the date of reaping which counts. Doesn't mean we can't try to use it anyway."

I grasped his hand. "Thank you Peeta. I don't believe I've just got two daughters and one is less than three years younger than I am."

"You're welcome."

"Dad," said Ariana. "I know you're not married yet, but you're almost. If we both die in there, don't let mom blame herself."

"Mom," said Tatiana.

I smiled. "Yes, daughter?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to say it. In case I don't get another chance."

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The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The wait after the girls had left for the Arena seemed endless. All the mentors traditionally wait together until the first few minutes of the games are over. One of the other mentors walked past me and whispered, "I want a word. I'll wait outside."

After waiting a few minutes so that nobody would think that we'd both come out together, I walked out into the corridor to the bathrooms.

We went into one of the bathrooms. It had piped music, but not so loud that it was impossible to talk.

"My tribute is Jeff. He says I should trust you because he trusts you and he trusts you because Ariana Snow trusts you. I don't. I trust you because I saw how you behaved in your first games. I saw how you behaved when you visited us in Eleven on your tour. I saw how you acted as Mockingjay. I didn't believe the rumours that you went crazy when you shot Coin. And your interview confirmed that. I don't know what game you're playing with Snow's granddaughters, but I know two things. One, they started out with the whole world against them and now they've got the sympathy of a large part of it. Two, you struggled to keep tears out of your eyes when they left for the Arena. Despite the image you've been trying to present, that tells me you're still the same Katniss Everdene who sang to my niece as she died."

"Rue," I whispered.

"Rue," he confirmed.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save her."

"You did the next best thing. You made her a human being when she died and not just another statistic. And for that her family can never thank you enough. Can I give you a piece of advice?"

"Sure. Right now I could use all the advice I can get."

"Don't blame yourself for what you can't do. Don't waste time over mistakes of the past, Concentrate on what you can do, now."

I nodded.

"I'm telling you this because Jeff asked me to and I'm trusting you not to use it against him."

"Okay."

"Jeff told me that he told you all about the secret meeting last night, so secret even us mentors didn't know about it."

"Yes, he did."

"After seeing you, he returned to the meeting. They were still trying to figure out a way they could repeatedly attack your girls without killing them and without it looking suspicious. He suggested he pretend to be their ally, and he can conveniently rescue them before they get killed each time. They bought the idea. What they don't know is that he really WILL be their ally."

"I trust you told him he's signing his own death warrant."

"To be honest, he doesn't think he's got much to go back to. More importantly, he's smitten with Ariana. Nobody noticed him much in the same chariot as her, as all eyes were on her, but he couldn't take his eyes off of her."

"Naked girls will do that to a boy."

"That was a cheap shot and not worthy of you."

"I'm sorry."

"He said she was shaking with fear and embarrassment, but was determined not to show it. Then he said her interview was the bravest thing he's ever seen. He's smitten with Ariana and is determined to help her win."

"The problem with that is that she's determined to help his sister win."

"We both guessed as much. When I pointed that out to him, he said that was up to her, but as far as he can, he will try to keep both alive."

"He told you that nobody is to kill them until the final six?"

"Yes. But they will want them badly injured and weak, to make them easy kills at the end. He will try to ensure that doesn't happen."

"Thank you."

"I'm just passing on the message. Can't really see what good it does now as you can't tell them, but he wanted me to tell you anyway."

"It might be useful to know."

"Now you might still be the Katniss Everdene who stole our hearts in Eleven, but you're also the Mockingjay, and I'm guessing that you're not going to rest until you find out who's behind all this.

I nodded.

"Then I suggest you get polishing that nice bow of yours."

"My bow?"

"That's what you use to kill Presidents, isn't it?"

"It goes that high?"

"It goes that high."

"What's she got against the girls?"

"She was head of the troops in Eight. Her daughter was a healer. She died in the bombing of the hospital. She wants anyone connected with Snow dead. Hell, it's an open secret she wants to wipe out almost everyone in the Capitol." He looked at his watch. "We'd better get back. Give me a minute or two before you come out.

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The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The start of the games was like every start, a bloodbath. If I counted the canons correctly, an unlucky thirteen died in the first five minutes. Already we were down to seventeen tributes. A bow, made to a size easy for Tatiana to handle was easily within her reach, and a set of throwing axes were conveniently close to Ariana. They got what they needed and legged it out of there, just as I'd instructed them.

I didn't see what happened to Jeff. I hoped he wasn't one of the dead. It all happened so fast.

The landscape was dry scrub, plants I'd never seen before, mostly with spines from what it looked like, some knee height, others tall like a tree. I couldn't see a water supply anywhere.

The rest of the day was, to be honest, boring to watch. All the remaining tributes, and I was pleased to see that Jeff was among them, were just wandering around, looking for shelter from the sun, for a source of water, food, anything. None of them had any success.

When night fell, obviously so did the temperature, a lot. The tributes who didn't have some kind of shelter huddled together for mutual warmth. At night, your fellow tributes weren't your enemy. The cold was your enemy.

As the morning dawned, I saw Tatiana had woken. Ariana, exhaused from the stress and little sleep she'd had the night before, was still sleeping. Tatiana let her sister sleep, while she looked warily around. Mentally I urged Tatiana to wake Ariana. They were too exposed, too vulnerable, where they were to have only one person awake as the sun, and the temperatures rose. They would all be desperate for water, and that mean they'd be hunting for my two girls.

On screen I could see a group of five, approaching the area where Ariana and Tatiana were. The girl in front stopped and pointed. She'd spotted Tatiana, who'd just sat up to take a nervous look around.

The five split up and I knew they were encircling the two Snow girls. Tatiana looked around. She'd heard something but obviously still couldn't see anyone.. "Ari!" she cried out too late.

It was over in a moment. Three of the five pounced on Ari as she had begun to sit up, while the other two grabbed Tatiana.

"The bitch bit me!" the leading girl said angrily. We could see a slight trickle of blood from her hand. "Hold her." She pushed Tatiana to one of the boys, then drew back her arm and punched Tatiana in the face. "Capitol bitch!" she screamed at her as Tatiana's nose virtually exploded, sending blood everywhere.

The group was two boys and three girls, but the girl was clearly the leader, or maybe just the most vicious. They had some kind of twine with them, where they'd scavenged it or whether they got it during the bloodbath at the start, I didn't know. But they began by tying Ariana firmly. When she tried to struggle, the lead girl said, "Please, do struggle."

I could see the fear in Ariana's eyes as she stopped resisting them. Her hands were tied behind her back, her legs tied together and now they used another piece of twine to attached them, pulling Ariana into a twisted crab shape, lying on her side.

The pain from her broken nose had taken the fight out of Tatiana, so she didn't resist as they tied her in the same way.

"Put them so they're facing each other," the girl ordered. Once that was done, she said. "We're the tributes for District Two." I wonder where Jeff was, as he was also from District Two.

Ariana was obviously thinking the same, as she asked, "Where's the other one?"

"Keeping lookout," replied one of the other girls, to an annoyed look from her leader.

"You!" the leader snapped at Ariana. "Is what you said true? That we're only here so they could get her?"

"Yes," Ariana replied.

"As if the Capitol hasn't done enough to us over the years. Always getting the best of everything, while the rest of us make do. And now five of us have to die, just so they can kill one of you bitches?"

With this she lashed out and kicked Tatiana in the stomach. Tatiana let out all her breath in a loud "whoosh" and a grunt. She didn't even have breath to cry out.

"Stop!" Ariana pleaded. "It's not her fault."

The girl grabbed Ariana by the hair, almost pulling her up and spat into her face, then slapped her hard before dropping her back to the ground.

"No, Capitol bitch tells me what to do, understood?"

"Cowards!" Ariana shouted. "Cowards. Five of you to beat up a twelve year-old."

As if at a signal, all five began kicking Ariana as if they'd gone crazy.

I heard a loud whistle. Obviously so did they as they all stopped.

"Someone's coming." She lifted Ariana's now blooded face and said, "Don't worry, Princess. We'll be back to kill you later."

"Shouldn't we kill them now?" one of the boys asked.

"No. I want some more fun with them. They're not going anywhere."

"But if someone else finds them?"

"Doesn't really matter who kills them does it? They ain't gonna make it outta here alive. Let's get outta here."

The five left and soon all that could be heard from that camera was the sound of two girls quietly sobbing.

Later that day parachutes fell. The other tribute drank water as if they'd never seen it before and feasted like they were still in the Capitol

Parachutes had fallen for Ariana and Tatiana too, but they had no way to open the bags or to eat and drink, tied as they were.

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The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

Night came again. Ariana had managed to shuffle over to her sister, to give her what little comfort and contact she could.

In the morning daylight, Tatiana was so still I found myself listening for her canon. Thankfully it never came.

Shortly after midday, two girls came by, and almost stumbled over Ariana, but walked on, somehow not seeing them. One of them was bleeding from her arm and was walking with a slight limp. I didn't remember seeing that happen. For a moment I wondered how long she'd last.

I must have dozed off as I was awoken by someone shouting. "They must be around here somewhere!" That girl from Two again.

"Here! They're over here!"

My girls had both been lying with their eyes closed. I could sense they'd long since given up any hope.

The lead girl kicked both of their feet, just hard enough to rouse them. "Hi bitches. We're back. Have you missed us?"

"Hey, look! They've got food and water!"

"Split the food between us. Troy, give the bitches some of that water."

"What?"

"You heard. We wouldn't want them dying too soon now, would we? Before we can have more fun with them."

Troy obviously understood. The lead girl was scared they'd be the ones punished for killing my girls if they died of thirst before the tributes were down to the last half dozen.

Surprisingly gently, he lifted Tatiana's head as he gave her water to drink. "Thank you," he murmured.

He then did the same to Ariana, though not quite as gently. "You done?" he asked her. She nodded and said, "Thanks."

He looked at her sadly for a moment, but said nothing.

The five sat down and enjoyed my two girls' food.

"Break-time over," the lead girl announced. "Now it's playtime. Hold up the older bitch."

"Here, Bitch, wanna wave to granddaddy? Oh, I forget, you can't. That's all right, I'll wave." She did so. "Hello, Granddaddy Snow. You know all your Capitol bitches looked SOOO pretty, never having to work for anything, waited on hand and foot, someone for their hair, their make-up, their clothes every day. Your Princess doesn't look so pretty now, does she?"

Ariana's face, the bruises vivid, showed a mixture of fear and resignation.

"Perhaps she just needs a little, what do you call it? Corrective surgery." Ariana's eyes widened as the girl pulled out a knife. "A nice little cut here," she made a neat shallow slice above Ariana's right eye, "Another here," A deeper cut down her left cheek. "One more." She sliced open the right side of Ariana's nose, just a little, but it bled like crazy.

"All done. There you are, Granddaddy. Beauty treatment care of District Two, and I didn't even charge for my time. Now for baby sister."

"Please," Ariana begged.

"What is it? Want to make beauty suggestions for baby sister? You tell me where to start."

"Please. Don't hurt her. Do more to me if you want. She's only twelve."

"Twelve's old enough to be killed if you live in the Districts," the girl spat harshly. "But guess what, Granddaddy Snow! We have a volunteer tribute. What an honour to volunteer. Now what shall I do with her? Haircut first I think."

She held up a handful of Ariana's hair and started hacking through it. She dropped the mass of hair slowly in front of Ariana's face and smiled.

"Now, I see your ears are pierced. I think that one needs redoing, don't you?" She sliced the bottom of Ariana's left ear open. It wasn't a deep cut, but like any cuts in the ears, it bled a lot. "Oops," she said. "Got your dress messy. Never mind, now baby's turn."

"But...!"

"I changed my mind. Just like your granddaddy Snow did when it suited him."

She moved across to Tatiana. "Isn't she pretty, Granddaddy? Pity about the broken nose. I know. A pair of matching scars down each cheek. That'll do."

I was worried. Tatiana didn't even looked frightened. She looked like she didn't care any more what happened to her. She'd given up. And as I'd said so often. In the games, you give up, you die.

A swift slice of the knife and Tatiana was bleeding from one cheek, but before she could do the second, Jeff came running in.

"What's happening?" the girl asked.

"Death," he replied, sounding crazy.

"Dead? Who's dead?"

"You are," he replied as he stabbed her deeply in the chest. Before anyone could react he ran off, the two boys and one of the other girls chasing him. I guess he just blew his cover.

The girl who'd been stabbed hadn't moved, then suddenly she gave a loud choking sound and blood sprayed out of her mouth over Tatiana. She then collapsed onto Tatiana and a canon sounded.

The other girl who hadn't run after Jeff, pushed the older girl off of Tatiana cut the twines holding Tatiana, then cut the twines off of Ariana. As she did so, she said, "I know you think everyone in the Districts are monsters. We're not all like her. She wasn't like that until Snow had her parents whipped to death. There's still some water in the bottles. I think your sister needs you."

Ariana struggled to get up. "Thank you," she said, in barely more than a whisper. But the girl had gone and never heard her.

Tatiana was shaking violently, pushing away at some imaginary person close to her. Ariana got behind her and hugged her tightly. "It's me. It's all right. It's me."

"Blood. Everywhere. Dying. We're all dying," Tatiana gasped.

"You're okay now. The nasty girl is dead. Here, have some water."

"Wash the blood off?"

"I'm sorry. We don't have enough water for that. Here, drink this."

When both had drunk the remaining water, Ariana said, "We need to move from here." Tatiana didn't resist as Ariana led her away. As they walked away, a hovercraft picked up the girl's body.

A short time later, more parachutes dropped food and water. Ariana insisted on saving some of the water for the next day, but they ate all the food. It was getting cooler. Night was coming again.

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

Author's notes...

** Thanks to kcluv4everxoxo for making suggestions to improve the first chapter. I've rewritten parts of it and added a few paragraphs to the start of the story.**

** Thank you to an anonymous reviewer who pointed out a series of silly spelling errors in chapter three. They, along with a lot of typos in all the chapters, have now been corrected.**

** This is my first story for the Hunger Games. Please review.**

**Brian**

**THE STORY SO FAR**

**Chapter 1**

**Ariana Snow, granddaughter of the ex President Snow, learns that not only her, but her little sister are to be murdered at the Justice Games, the only chance to save her sister's life is to trust the Katniss Everdeen, the Mockingjay, the one who voted for the games for the children of the Capitol in the first place.**

**Chapter 2**

**Training and the reapings. **

**Chapter 3 **

**The chariots.**

**Chapter 4 **

**The interviews and they hear news on the night before the games.**

**Chapter 5 **

**Painful visits from District Two.**


	6. Chapter 6

"**Vengeance Games" **

**Chapter Six**

**By Brian Grove **

**Brian at rescueddoggies dot com**

**Disclaimer – I still don't own Hunger Games.**

**In the previous chapter...**

** Painful visits from District Two.**

**WARNING. In this chapter there is mention of a rape. It is NOT described in any detail whatsoever, it is just stated that it happened.**

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

During the night the camera spent a good hour following one girl as she seemed to be hunting for something. Suddenly she moved like lightening and stood back triumphantly holding, a snake. After catching the snake, she held it expertly. "What a beauty. They like agonising deaths don't they? Three or four days of slow and painful paralysis as the victim slowly swells up until finally their throat closes and they can't breathe any more." Was she talking to herself or the snake or the watching audience? I wasn't sure.

She went looking for victims, the snake in one hand, what looked like a thick branch cut from one of the taller plants in her other hand.

I could see was was approaching where my two girls were both sleeping, far enough apart so that nobody could easily kill them both, but close enough to protect each other. I desperately wanted to cry out a warning, but knew they could never hear me.

As she had almost reached Ariana, she stepped on something which made a loud crack. At the side of the screen I saw Tatiana wake up. The girl hadn't seen her. She reached for her bow, loaded an arrow more quickly than I could and pulled back on the bow. The bowstring snapped.

It was loud enough for the girl to hear. She swung around, smashing Ariana in the face with the branch and turned on Tatiana with the snake. Desperately Tatiana fell to the ground, and threw up and handful of dust into the girl's eyes.

The girl screamed in pain, dropping the branch, but kept hold of the snake. Tatiana managed to grab the branch and swung it wildly, hitting the girl in the side of her head. The girl fell to the ground, but still held onto her precious snake. Tatiana stood over her, and hit her over the head again.

"You bitch!" the girl screamed out, lashing out with her arm at where she thought Tatiana was. She was close enough. As Tatiana's third blow landed on the girl's head, she released the snake and it latched onto Tatiana's right arm.

She continued to beat the girl's head until the girl didn't move any more and still she carried on beating her until a canon went off. The snake was still latched onto Tatiana's arm. Swapping the branch to her other arm, she brought it down hard on the snake as close to its head as she could. The snake released her and fell to the ground where another blow from the branch killed it.

Looking around wildly to see if there was anyone else around, she obviously decided there wasn't as she dropped the branch and ran to Ariana.

Ariana was still unconscious. Tatiana began to shake her. "Please don't die, Ariana. Please don't die. Don't leave me!"

My heart broke to hear her like that. Fortunately, Ariana soon began to stir. "Oh, my head. What happened?"

"That girl hit you with a branch. I... I killed her. I killed her." Tatiana began to sob loudly as her older sister held her.

"It's okay. You had no choice." Ariana stroked her hair, then hugged her close.

Tatiana screamed with the pain from the hug.

"What's wrong?" Ariana asked, in a panic.

"My arm. Her snake got me." The camera zoomed in as Tatiana showed Ariana her arm. Two small puncture wounds could be seem clearly. A thin black line was already shooting up her arm from one of them.

"It really hurts, Ari."

The screen switched to other cameras, where there was a battle going on between several of the boys. Two fell to the ground, one clutching his stomach, the other collapsing with blood pouring from his neck. A canon went off, followed shortly by another.

Dawn. The camera switched back to Ariana who was holding Tatiana in her arms. Tatiana was having convulsions. Her arm looked a nasty dark colour and very swollen.

The convulsions stopped. "Ari. I don't want to play the game any more. I want to go home." She was struggling to get the words out, every word an effort.

Ariana was crying too much to reply.

Tatiana was quiet most of the morning, but cried out suddenly around midday as she went into another set of convulsions. They didn't last long, but she was obviously exhaused.

As Ariana bent to tend her sister a boy came running into the small clearing where they were. With a vicious punch he knocked Ariana over, almost knocking her out.

"I've found them!" he called out loudly as he dragged Ariana to one of the larger bushes.

Another boy and a girl came running into the clearing. "Hold her arm, there!" the first boy shouted. As the second boy did so, the first boy pulled out a knife and stabbed it straight through Ariana's right hand, pinning her to the bush firmly.

Ariana's scream cut through the day.

"Shut that bitch up," the girl said.

"Hey," said one of the boys. "This bag belonged to Dalkis." He ran back to Ariana. "She dead?" he asked her.

Ariana nodded. He slapped her face.

"You killed my girlfriend, well," he gave a revolting smirk, "the best bit of ass I could get round here, so now you'll have to be my girlfriend, won't you?"

Using another knife, he slit the dress she was wearing down the front. Ariana tried to struggle but each struggle brought more pain from her hand, still pinned firmly to the bush.

The girl seemed bored. "Can't you two hurry up?"

"She won't bloody hold still."

The girl crossed over to Tatiana. "Hey, Arina or whatever you name is. Your bloody grandfather ruined the Capitol and got us into this. Believe me, it'll be a joy to make him watch me kill you, slowly. I see your little sister's hurt. That arm looks nasty, doesn't it? I wonder if it hurts a lot." She punched Tatiana's swollen arm. Tatiana screamed in a way which brought back to my mind the awful memories of Rue, as the spear struck her.

"I guess it does hurt a lot. Now listen here, bitch. Every time you struggle against them, I'm going hit her arm, each time harder than the last. Understand?"

Ariana called out, "Please don't hurt her."

In all the games I've had to watch, I don't remember seeing any kind of sexual assault. Everyone was too busy trying to kill and avoid being killed.

I wanted to turn around or walk out of the room, but she was there because I voted for these games. I felt like I'd be betraying her, saving myself the pain of watching her, if I left.

When it was over, the girl said loudly (a little too theatrically?). "Right, let's kill her now."

The first boy said, equally loudly. "She's not going anywhere. That sap from the shrub acts like superglue. Even if someone tries to rescue her, that knife won't come out. I'm coming back for more tomorrow." He gave a vicious kick at Ariana's ribs and she cried out.

They began to walk away. The girl said, wait. She scooped out some of the sap and smeared it over Ariana's body, coating her legs and arms. "Do the kid the same," she ordered.

Tatiana had drifted off into her own little world. And didn't resist.

"What was that for?" one of the boys asked.

"Ants," the girl replied. "This place is infested with stinging ants. That stuff attracts them like mad."

"You're evil."

"Me? I'm not one of the two who just raped the bitch. I wonder what granddaddy thinks of his granddaughters now."

As the two girls were left alone again, I rushed out to the bathroom to vomit.

When I came back, Peeta was waiting for me. "You're not allowed to feel guilty," he reminded me.

"I know," I said while I thought, 'But I do.'

Now and again the screen returned to see my two girls. Tatiana was thrashing around in pain, while Ariana was still and quiet, every now and again speaking encouraging words.

I looked at the telephone in front of me, the telephone that would ring if a sponsor wanted to send a gift, as if by glaring at it I could make it ring. I really thought I'd changed people's attitudes to the two girls. Why was nobody willing to help them? Was it already too late for anti-venom for Tatiana? Was I the only one who cared?

I looked at Tatiana on the screen again. Normally when the camera is focussed on one tribute, the name of that tribute appears at the bottom of the screen, just as it did in my games. In all previous games, it was first name, followed by District. In this game, as they didn't really need to show the District, so for the tributes from the Capitol, they showed the first and last name of each tribute. So every time they focussed on Tatiana, it displayed Tatiana Snow. Snow, the most hated name in the country. Was the change intentional? I didn't know, but it meant that everything I had put them through to set them apart from the anti-Snow hatred had been for nothing.

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

Late afternoon, and storm clouds were approaching. Ariana was calling Tatiana. "Tat, we need to catch water. See if you can get this knife out."

Tatiana reached towards the knife.

"Wait. Get my dress. Stuff it in my mouth so I don't scream."

Having done that, Tatiana pulled at the knife as here sister writhed in pain.

"Ari, I can't do it. It's too strong."

Ariana used her other hand to pull the dress from her mouth. "Then you'll have to catch the water."

"How?"

"Take one of my axes. Cut a branch in half lengthways, then scoop out the inside to make a bowls"

Forcing herself to get up, Tatiana found a suitable branch and raised the axe. When she swung it the axehead fell off. My doubts about her bow was erased. Their weapons had been sabotaged. She picked up the head of the axe and desperately used it to cut away at the branch she had chosen, then used it again to scoop away the insides.

The rain was a relief to both girls. "Tat, use the rain to wash the sap off." Tat gently washed the sap from her sister's body, then her own. The rain was getting harder and Ariana used her free arm to protect her eyes.

"How are we for water?"

"Ari, they're full!"

"Drink all you can, Tat, then let it fill up again. Bring me the other one, I might need help drinking though."

Tat devoured the water, it being the first liquid to pass her lips since breakfast time the day before. Having drunk all she could, she gently poured water into her sister's mouth.

As the branches filled again the sky seemed to get darker. The rain turned to hail, great hard balls of ice bigger than I'd ever seen. Ariana desperately tried to protect her face. "Tat, find cover. Protect yourself."

"But what about you?"

"I'll be all right."

Tat flung herself over her sister's face, her back taking the blows from the increasingly large hailstones.

As quickly as it had begun, the hailstorm ended. A silvery parachute dropped down a short way from the two girls. Tatiana ran across and opened the bag.

"Food!" she cried with delight.

She brought it to her sister and they ate the bread ravenously. I remembered when I was that hungry and someone gave me some partly burned loaves of bread and squeezed Peeta's hand.

The bright sunlight of day was getting a little less bright now.

"Tat. The rain might have loosened the sap. See if you can get the knife out."

She steeled herself for the pain she knew was coming. Tatiana tugged with all her might, tears streaming down her face.

"I can't do it."

The light was fading now. Ariana removed the remains of the dress from her mouth. "Tat. It'll soon be dark. They'll be coming back. You have to leave me. Find somewhere safe to hide."

Tatiana shook her head. "No! Don't make me leave you."

"Tat. Listen to me. I'm not saying you can't come back. But you have to get yourself somewhere safer."

Tatiana grasped suddenly at the knife, pulling desperately with all her might. Taken by surprise, Ariana hadn't put the dress in her mouth and let out a loud scream.

She pushed her sister away. "Someone'll come now. Go, Tat. PLEASE."

"Ari?"

"Tat. Go or I'll never speak to you again. I mean it. Go away."

Tat nodded. Both girls were crying. "I'll be back. I love you." She turned suddenly at a noise in the scrub.

At the sight of Jeff, I felt a tremendous relief. He took in the scene in front of him. "What happened?"

"Two boys," said Tatiana. "They... they raped her."

"I'm sorry, I tried to get back to you sooner, but then I couldn't find you again."

"The boys are coming back," said Ariana. "Please, take Tatiana. Keep her safe."

"No," he replied.

Instead, he took Ariana's dress and spread it out over her, covering her. Reaching for the knife, he paused. "We need something for you to bite on. Another scream like the last one will bring everyone."

"We were using the dress," said Ariana. Jeff looked embarrassed, hesitating to move the dress he just used to cover her.

"It doesn't matter," Ariana said, but Jeff took off his T-shirt. "Here," he said.

Using her free hand she stuffed all she could into her mouth and bit down.

"Ready?"

Ariana nodded.

Jeff pulled at the knife with all his strength. I think it moved a little.

"It's the sap," Tatiana said. "It's like glue."

"I can't budge it," Jeff said.

Ariana took the T-shirt from her mouth and said, "You have to leave me."

"I'm never going to leave you."

"You have to." Ariana sounded desperate.

"Make me."

Ariana glared at him.

He grinned at Tatiana. "I don't think she's realised. We're in charge here." He bent down to kiss Ariana gently. Her eyes open wide with surprise, so he did it again.

"You fancy her," said Tatiana, a genuine smile on her face.

"I can't think why," said Ariana. "Not exactly going to win any beauty contests, am I?"

My mind went back to when I was younger than Tatiana was now. Gale and I had returned from our first hunting trip together, outside the fence. One of the girls in the seam had started chanting in a sing-song voice, "Katniss got a boyfriend."

I stopped my reminiscing in time to hear Jeff say, "I'm going to have to cut the branch."

Tatiana handed him the axehead. "It came off the handle," she explained.

Jeff frowned angrily and handed Ariana his T-shirt.

"I know this is going to hurt like hell. I'm sorry. Tatty. Try to hold your sister as still as possible."

"I'm Tat, not Tatty."

"Okay, Tatty. Just hold her."

He began to chop away at the branch as Ariana screamed silently into his T-shirt, her whole body tensing at each stroke.

"Hold her still!" he snapped at Tatiana. "I nearly hit her hand that time."

"I'm trying."

Jeff nodded and continued to chop away at the branch. Finally her arm was free, just few inches each side of the knife remained. "Turn your arm this way," he instructed. He chopped away again, then scooped out the centre.

Ariana took out the T-shirt from her mouth. "Thank you," she said. "We need to move before they come back."

"Let me just check your sister first," Jeff answered. He looked at Tatiana's arm and asked her, "Snake?"

She nodded.

"I bet it hurts like hell."

"The rain made it feel better, it was so cool. But it's beginning to hurt again now."

"Do you still have the snake?"

Tatiana looked puzzled, but answered, "It's over there. I killed it."

Jeff found the snake and held it up. "This one?"

"Yeah."

"When did it happen?"

"During the night sometime."

"Okay," he said. "We need to get moving, as quietly as possible. There's a cliff in that direction. Ariana, you can wear my T-shirt. Tie the dress round your waist like a skirt."

He led them to the top of the cliff. Tatiana was struggling. By the time they reached a open area scattered with rocks and an overhang, Tatiana was barely able to keep going. She tripped, landing on her arm, biting her lip to stop herself from screaming.

She collapsed, then tried to get up. She tried to get to the edge of the cliff.

"What are you doing?" Ariana asked her, her voice showing her panic.

"Ari. It hurts so much. I can't take any more."

"You can't jump. You can't leave me."

"Ari, please. Please. I beg you."

Tears streaming down her face, Ariana took Tatiana's good arm and pulled her away from the face of the cliff. Tatiana started convulsing again.

Jeff got up and began to walk up the path.

"Where are you going?" Ariana asked.

"I'm going to get some more branches, for next time it rains. I won't be long."

Ariana put her one good arm around him and kissed him hard."

"What was that for?" he asked, looking bemused.

"To remind you to come back."

"I'll be back soon," he promised.

"Please hurry. When she comes around again, I might not get to her in time."

Jeff nodded, then walked up the path to the top, then walked straight along the cliff top. He wasn't trying to gather fallen branches. Was he leaving them?

After a good while, he stopped and looked up at the sky. "The little girl needs anti-venom and she needs it now," he almost shouted. "By morning it will be too late. She'll die slowly in agony. It'll take days, but she'll die. And you know what? It won't even make good television. Her throat will seize up so she won't be able to scream for you. Her muscles will tense so she won't be able to move. It'll look like she's unconscious, but she won't be. She'll be in agony every second of the two or three days before she just stops breathing. You know? I hope I don't survive this game. Because if I do, I'd want to kill every last one of you."

He spat on the ground and began to walk back to the girls. To my amazement a silvery parachute landed in front of him. Picking up the bag, he looked inside then ran back to the cliff path, almost fell as he tried to run down it, then walked the rest of the way.

"Did you get some branches?" Tatiana asked.

"I got something better." He pulled out a small bottle, a syringe and a needle.

"What is it?

"Anti-venom. Hold out your arm. No. Your good arm. The circulation's better. It says it works better intravenously. What's that mean?"

"Into a vein," Ariana answered.

"Jeff loked worried. "I wish I knew how to do this properly."

"Let me," said Ariana. "I've seen mom and dad do it thousands of times. The hard part is finding a vein."

"Ow," cried Tatiana as Ariana stabbed her with the needle for the fourth time.

"Sorry. I've never actually done this before. It's harder than it looks."

Finally she drew blood. "Hold really still now, Tat." She emptied the syringe into her sister's arm.

"Now we wait," said Jeff, "and hope we weren't too late."

"What else is in the bag?" Tatiana asked. "More food?" she asked hopefully.

"No. There's solvent of some kind. The bottle says, for the sap." He poured a little on the branch and the sap joining the knife to the branch sizzled. The branch came away easily.

"Now the knife in my hand," said Ariana.

"Wait!" said Tatiana. "Dad always said you shouldn't remove anything like a knife from a wound. You could do more damage."

"Tat. I can't fight like this. We'll have to risk it." She pulled the T-shirt up so she could bite on it, not even thinking what she was exposing to Jeff, as well as the watching audience. "Ready."

Jeff said, "Tat. Can you help her hold her arms steady? Take her fingers, like that, yes. Ready?"

Ariana nodded and bit down on the T-shirt.

The knife came out surprisingly easily. Luckily, there was no extra bleeding. As Ariana pulled the T-shirt back down, Jeff reached for the third bottle in the bag. "To stop infections," he said, pouring the liquid on her wound.

"That's enough," said Ariana. "Save the rest. We might need it."

He nodded.

"Thank you, Jeff. For everything. Any idea how many are left?"

"Eight or nine, I think. I'm not sure."

"Not too long to go, then."

The next few hours seemed out of place, a break for normality in the middle of all the insanity as the three, mostly Ariana and Jeff chatted. Jeff proved he could actually be quite amusing as he told stories of his life in District Two before the games. Ariana had an unexpected talent for imitating some of the weirder characters from the Capitol

"I know normally alliances are a good idea in the games," said Ariana, "but I think you ought to leave us. Staying with us will get you killed."

"Maybe I'd rather die with someone who cares about me than live where I'm the most hated in the District. You do care about me, a little, don't you?"

Ariana nodded. "More than a little. I wish we had more time. I'd really like to get to know you, away from all this craziness."

"Perhaps it's just as well we don't. You might not like me away from all this craziness."

"Somehow I find that hard to believe." She pulled him close for a kiss.

"Sh!" Tatiana hissed. "I hear someone."

"Quick! Hide in the rocks," Jeff said.

On the screen I could clearly see one of the boys and the girl from the night before as they crept down the path.

Tatiana moaned in agony. Why was she giving away her position? I thought.

"It's the brat, I think." the boy said. He ran towards Tatiana.

"Careful, Her sister must be close by," the girl warned – too late as Jeff leapt out from behind a rock and gave the boy an almighty shove, sending him plunging to his death. A canon sounded.

The girl was now caught between Ariana and Jeff. He waved her knife at Jeff, then turned to Ariana to do the same. Caught in the middle, she couldn't watch both at once. Considering Jeff to be the greater threat, she advance on him. Ariana moved like lightening, a rock in her hand, which she brought down on the girl's head.

She dropped to the ground, tried to get up. "Please!" she begged, her eyes flashing with fear.

Ariana pushed her over the edge, then knelt down as the canon sounded again.

"I feel sick," she said, heaving although her stomach was empty.

A loud voice intoned. "We are now down to the final five tributes. There will be no more food or water unless there are special circumstances which the remaining tributes already know. Each has a secret task they must complete if they want to eat or drink again."

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

Author's notes...

** I am writing a sequel to this story, about how the games are reinstated. Rue's family feature as characters in the story and Rue does not appear to have a surname in the books, so I'd welcome suggestions.**

** This is my first story for the Hunger Games. Please review.**

**Brian**

**THE STORY SO FAR**

**Chapter 1**

**Ariana Snow, granddaughter of the ex President Snow, learns that not only her, but her little sister are to be murdered at the Justice Games, the only chance to save her sister's life is to trust the Katniss Everdeen, the Mockingjay, the one who voted for the games for the children of the Capitol in the first place.**

**Chapter 2**

**Training and the reapings. **

**Chapter 3 **

**The chariots.**

**Chapter 4 **

**The interviews and they hear news on the night before the games.**

**Chapter 5 **

**Painful visits from District Two.**

**Chapter 6 **

**Snakes, Sex, Love and Death.**


	7. Chapter 7

"**Vengeance Games" **

**Chapter Seven**

**By Brian Grove **

**Brian at rescueddoggies dot com**

**Disclaimer – I still don't own Hunger Games.**

**In the previous chapter...**

** Snakes, Sex, Love and Death.**

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

It was obvious from looking at the screen that all five remaining tributes were desperately thirsty. Their thirst led to a lack of activity which was not exactly interesting to watch, unless one of the dying children was yours, of course.

So the cameras stayed on the only three who were together. Jeff and Ariana had moved Tatiana as far under the shade of the overhang as possible, before both sitting down exhausted.

After a few minutes, Ariana asked, "Why are you helping us?"

"Huh?"

"You've saved both our lives. You know that sticking with us makes you a target. So why?"

"My father was a thug. He got off on hurting people. At work he was a bully and everyone hated him and feared him. When he came home he only had me to hurt. Never so it showed of course, I had to look the perfect son in front of everyone else. Or else."

The camera closed in on a shot of Ariana taking Jeff's hand.

"So everyone decided I was like him. They didn't dare despise him openly, they had to suck up to him, but they could despise me. So they did. I never had the chance to make a friend. So I knew I be voted into the games the moment they said how we'd be selected."

"I'm sorry," Ariana said quietly.

"I was used to it."

"I'm still sorry."

"I knew I didn't have much chance of surviving to go back to District Two, I mean, thirty-to-one odds, right? Then I realised I didn't want to go back, I had nothing to go back for. So I started looking around, to find someone I wanted to win."

"And you chose us?"

He snorted a rather unattractive laugh. "No! I wanted to see both of you dead. Your grandfather and those before him, made Panem what it is, made my father what he was. I even wondered if I'd get the chance to kill you myself."

"You still can," Ariana pointed out. "They might even like you then."

He ignored her comment and continued. "Then I ended up beside you on the chariot. You were so scared you were shaking, but you were determined not to show it, not to give them the satisfaction. And everyone was laughing at you. And I realised they hated you for who your grandfather was, just as my district hated me for who my father was. Standing there defying their hatred and laughter was the bravest thing I'd ever seen. I knew you might actually have it in you to win and it was you I wanted to win."

"I'm not going to win, Jeff."

"I know. I saw that when your sister came out. You kept glancing back at her. For a moment I thought you were going to jump down from our chariot and go back to her."

"I nearly did."

Jeff grinned. "I wonder what they'd have done?"

"Pity it's too late to find out."

"The look in your eyes changed then, too."

"How?"

"Before you looked, sort of, desperate. But that changed. When she came out you looked angry and determined. I knew you'd already made up your mind. You were going to fight through, no matter what, to keep her safe, and if you were the last two, sacrifice yourself at the end."

Ariana nodded. That had indeed been her plan.

"So there was this fantastic girl standing next to me, incredibly brave in spite of the crowd, yet she loved her little sister enough to die for her. I knew you were the one I wanted to win. Of course, the fact that you were hot as hell with a body to kill for had absolutely nothing to do with it."

Ariana punched him and he overacted pretending to be hurt.

"It wasn't that hard."

"I'm wounded! She's killed me!" He stood up, staggered around and pretended he was going to fall off of the cliff face.

Ariana panicked for a moment.

Jeff's face became serious again as he sat back down. "Then I found out how you were being set up and I was so angry. When I went to tell you and the Mockingjay opened the door I wanted to kill her there and then."

"I'm glad you didn't."

"I could see you were so scared when I told you some of the things they were planning. But you put your own fear aside, all you were worried about was how you'd get Tatty though it. And I wondered what it was like to be loved that much by someone... by you. I knew if I had to die, I wanted to die at your side, making sure that Tatty survived."

"You know she hates you calling her that."

"Why do you think I say it?" Jeff grinned.

"I couldn't help liking you," Ariana admitted. "From the moment you came to warn me that night, you must have known you were risking your own life doing that, but you did it anyway. And now you've saved both our lives. And you're so gentle with Tatty... Damn, you've got me saying it now. You're so gentle with Tat, and with me. And I wish we had time to get to know each other, to see if we could be more than friends. But we don't. We're going to die today. But I'm glad that my last hours will be with you. District Two were fools not to see you for who you are."

She checked on Tatiana. "She seems to be breathing better now," she said, before settling into Jeff's arms.

By midday, a pack of wild dogs had forced the other two tributes towards the cliff path. They would reach it in another five or six hours.

Speculation was wild about what these secret tasks were. Peeta came to me. "It's done. The control room can be bypassed whenever you need it to be." He had called in my old friends from District thirteen.

The presenter was interviewing each of the remaining mentors, asking if they had any idea what these mysterious secret tasks could be. Finally she came to me.

"Yes, I know what they are."

"You do?"

"They have to kill Ariana or Tatiana to get food and water. Only the ones who kills either of them with receive anything. The other twenty-eight tributes were told of this the night before the games started."

"Putting it bluntly. Was this your idea?" It was obvious she was disgusted with me.

"My idea?"

"You haven't exactly kept quiet about how much you hate your two tributes."

"No. I don't hate them. The rest of you hated them. The Districts wanted revenge, and who better to take it out on than the remaining family of President Snow? Even in the Capitol, everyone wanted to blame just him for the war and the losses. He is in our custody, but they could hate the two girls instead. From the moment President Paylor reorganised the games to make sure she could kill both granddaughters of her old enemy, they didn't stand a chance."

"But the way you've treated them...?"

"The only way they stood a chance was if I could make you all see them as they are. Two ordinary girls, as innocent as any other victim of the games. By making you all feel sorry for them, and hating me instead, they might just have stood a chance. And at first it worked. I was sure that when Tatiana was bitten, someone would sponsor anti-venom rather than watch her die in agony. But no. Where normally the screen would just display our first names when a camera was on us, for these games it showed their full names. Just to remind you all that they are Ariana and Tatiana Snow, granddaughters of President Snow. So the hatred against him, was taken out on a twelve year old girl who had never hurt anyone in her life."

The presenter was obviously curious as to why the feed hadn't been cut. As we could both see in the "live" monitor, we were still on.

"You know the ironic thing?" I said.

"What's that?"

"The screen was wrong. They didn't even get their names right."

"What do you mean?"

I handed her the two certificates. She looked at them and looked up in surprise. "You've adopted them? These are real?" Turning to one of the cameramen, she asked, "Can we get a close-up on the certificates? There it is folks. Clear as daylight. Ariana Everdene and Tatiana Everdene."

I decided not to point out that they wouldn't become valid until I was eighteen in a few days time.

"I have to ask. Why?"

I explained, "If either of them survive the games, there are still people, including the President, who want them dead. This will give some protection."

"They've obviously made some impression on you since you became their mentor."

"I made sure I met them as soon as I learned that President Paylor was going to kill six extra children just so that she could be sure to get Tatiana as well as Ariana. I've got to know them very well since them. Yes, I care for them very much."

The presenter's face had softened towards me. "That is obvious."

"Then the night before the games started, all the other tributes were called to a meeting. They were told they could do anything they liked to Ariana and Tatiana. The more they hurt them, the more food they'd get. But they mustn't kill them, until we were down to the last half dozen. President Paylor wanted them to suffer as much and as long as possible."

"That's quite an accusation."

"Why do you think they are still alive? The others did all they could to hurt them, but didn't kill them. Does anyone really believe it was, for example, so the two boys could come back for more? And even that wouldn't explain leaving Tatiana alive."

She didn't know how to answer me, so I went on... "Then, when it was down to half a dozen tributes or fewer, the secret tasks came into effect. If one of them wants food and water, they have to kill one of my two girls. Except that it's backfired."

"Backfired?"

"They hadn't counted on Jeff being so disgusted that he wanted to help Ariana even before they got to the arena. And it's pretty obvious now how he feels about her. He'll defend her to the death, and she will defend him."

"So you think it will come down to Ariana, Tatiana and Jeff?"

"It's at least possible. Can you honestly see Jeff killing Ariana? Or Ariana killing the boy who's saved both her and her little sister? Or either of them killing Ariana's little sister, who's still unconscious.?"

"So it could be another Katniss-and-Peeta style happy ending?"

"No," I said. "President Paylor hates them so much that she'll never allow it. My guess is we'll have a wait until the second to last one dies of thirst."

"Talking of the President, have you heard the announcement this morning?"

"What announcement?"

"These games were so popular that she's going to continue them. Capitol Games will continue up to number seventy five, the same number of games which the Districts were forced to participate in."

I felt my lungs empty of air as if I'd been punched hard in the stomach. I hadn't expected this. "No," I gasped.

Forcing myself to breathe properly, I took off my Mockingjay pin and handed it to the presenter, who looked puzzled.

"That's it. I'm done. I am no longer the Mockingjay. I never wanted the title anyway. It was all for nothing. This hatred wasn't what I fought for. I fought for freedom, for justice, all those stupid idealistic things. Not for this. All we've done is changed the names of the victims." I was crying now and I didn't care who saw. "Ariana and Tatiana's parents died giving help to an injured man, who happened to be a rebel. My thirteen year-old sister, Prim, from District Twelve, died helping injured Capitol children. And for what? For the hating and killing to continue?" Looking into the camera, I said, "I'm sorry, Rue. I did as I promised. I won, but it was all for nothing."

Feeling drained and exhausted, I forced myself to get up. Peeta came and put an arm around me as I cried as we walked out, not caring that the cameras were still on me. The war was finally over. And I had lost.

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The rest of the day was boring to watch. Five children slowly dying of thirst under a burning sun. Tatiana was still unconscious. There was no way to know if the anti-venom had been too late or not until she either regained consciousness or died. One girl had succumbed to the heat and thirst and died, but there had been no other cannon, so at the moment Tatiana was still alive. The other remaining tribute, a boy, was slowly struggling towards the cliff path.

Night came, and I had a fitful sleep.

Morning, and as Peeta and I ate breakfast, I commented, "I can't believe that I'm still here, that I haven't been arrested and taken away."

"I think she's got more important things to worry about than you," Peeta said.

"What's happened?"

"It started with District Eleven. Massive protests calling for Paylor to be arrested. District Eight are sending troops to the Capitol. They want to fight at your side."

"District Eight?"

"Paylor might come from there, but they've never forgotten the Mockingjay's visit to the hospital or your actions to try to defend it. The Capitol is rioting. District Two is up in arms that the President ordered six of their own to die to satisfy her vengeance again Snow."

"Conveniently forgetting that they voted for the six," I pointed out.

The screen flashed to life. The boy had reached the top of the cliff. He was so exhausted he could barely stand. Ariana and Jeff were waiting and knocked him down. He struggled to get up, but failed.

Ariana and Jeff brought three fingers to their lips, then pointed them at the boy in a sign of respect.

He closed his eyes. "I'm sorry," we heard Ariana whisper as Jeff brought a rock down on the boys head. A canon went off.

Now it was just Jeff, Ariana and Tatiana. Jeff and Ariana staggered slowly back down to Tatiana. She was awake, though rather disorientated.

"What's happening?"

"You're getting better," Jeff said.

The right half of the screen switched to the President. "This is your President. False accusations have been made against me by the crazy girl who killed the last President. To show that I am not the vindictive woman she accuses me of being, I will allow the last two survivors to win jointly."

She disppeared from the screen. It was obvious that the three tributes had heard the message as well.

"Only one of us has to die," said Jeff. "I have nobody who would miss me if it's me."

"I would," said Ariana, putting herself between Jeff and the cliff.

"It should be me," said Tatiana.

"You?" cried Ariana and Jeff together.

"You two love each other. I can see it."

The argument raged until the three fell asleep with exhaustion. All three fell asleep knowing that they couldn't survive another burning hot day without water.

In the early morning light. I watched with horror as Tatiana struggled to her feet and staggered towards the edge. Ariana forced herself up and screamed out "No!" She grabbed her sister and pulled her away from the edge.

Jeff helped her and said, "Goodbye, Ariana. I love you."

Ariana was crying as she said, "Jeff, you promised not to leave me."

"I'm sorry, Ari. I have to do this."

Ari sprang at him, her arms around his chest, the momentum from her jump carried them both over the edge. Two canons sounded close together.

"No!" Tatiana screamed, crawling towards the edge, seemingly determined to follow her sister.

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The extraction team had reached Tatiana in time. She slept solidly for almost three whole days, then off and on for almost another week. She couldn't remember much of the games. I had to break it to her that her sister was dead. My eighteenth birthday went by unnoticed, even by me. I was vaguely aware that other things were happening in the world, but to me, now, nothing else mattered. Finally, when she was well enough, she had to go to the studio for her final interview. I suggested ignoring it, but she said that she wanted to do it. The night before she'd insisted on watching the highlight tape of her games. We'd cried together, and hugged each other. "Thank you, Mom," she'd said.

It hurt to watch her struggle onto the stage in front of the crowd, refusing all help. There was no applause. Instead, the whole crowd touched their fingers to their lips and help them out to her, I did the same.

Following the years-old format, they had condensed her time in the games down to three hours. I saw her close her eyes as the screen showed her sister and Jeff falling from the cliff. Did they really have to show their bodies smashing onto the rocks below?

"How does it feel to be a victor?", she was asked, but a noticeably subdued presenter.

"Sad," she replied.

"Why sad?"

"I'm a victor because twenty nine other children died and they didn't deserve to die any more than I did, or any of those who came before us."

"Of course, sadly your sister was one of those twenty-nine. If she could see you now, what do you think she'd say to you?"

A sad smile. "She'd probably tell me off for moping around and tell me to get on with living."

"On a lighter note, what's it like having the Mockingjay for your mom?"

A genuine smile. "Cool!"

There was a scattering of laughter.

"Even though it was her decision which led to the games being run?"

"Ariana told me that if we hadn't had the games, a lot more people would have died."

"What do you think of the news that President Paylor has been removed?"

"I didn't know she had. But if it means that the games will end, I think it's good."

"I know this is both a happy and a sad day for you. Thank you Victor Tatiana Snow."

"Tatiana Everdene now," she said proudly.

"Mentor Katniss. Can you answer a few questions?"

I bowed to the inevitable and took the seat left vacant for me.

"Firstly, how does it feel to suddenly be mom to a twelve-year old?"

My answer of "Am I allowed to say 'cool'?" was followed by a ripple of laughter as I tried to imitate Tatiana's tone.

"Your adoption of Ariana and Tatiana stunned everyone. Anything to say about that?"

"Firstly I should say that my adoption of Ariana never became legal because she died before my eighteenth birthday. But I will always remember her as someone I had come to love very much. A girl as sweet and every bit as brave as her younger sister. If Ariana and Tatiana's parents were here and could hear me, I'd like to thank them for bringing up two girls it's been an honour for me to know. The two girls' parents are just two of the many unsung heroes, who put other's lives before their own, having put aside the hatred and prejudice which has destroyed our society. I promise that I will do my best to see that their daughter continues to make them as proud as I am sure she already has."

"Who do you think should take over as President?"

"I'm not really into politics. Someone who can put aside the hatred and serve both the Capitol and the Districts, to unite us."

"Before we finish, I have something to give you. You gave it to me, but I think it should still belong to you." She held something out to me, my Mockingjay pin.

"Keep it. I'm not the Mockingjay any more."

As she put it down on the desk in front of her, without me noticing a number of men and women had stepped onto the stage.

"Katniss Everdene. I am mayor of the Capitol. With me are the mayors of each of the Districts. We are here to offer you the office of President."

I shook my head. "This is a joke. I'm eighteen years old. I know nothing about politics."

He smiled at me. "Some might say that's a good thing."

"It's impossible. You need someone with experience, someone who can lead."

"You are the Mockingjay."

"The Mockingjay was a symbol, a puppet used by President Coin."

"A puppet who was mostly out of control, and did her own thing, from everything I've heard about you."

"But you need..."

"You said it yourself. We need someone who can put aside the Hatred. Can you think of anyone else who has done anything like adopting their enemy's grandchildren to save their lives? Someone who can unite us. We are here, Capitol and Districts, unanimously asking this of you."

"No. I won't be a symbol again. I can't do this."

"We don't need a symbol. We need the girl who volunteered for almost certain death to save her younger sister."

The mayor of Eleven stepped forward. "We need the girl who sang to comfort a dying girl she barely knew, even though she was from a rival district, and who still cries for her now."

The mayor of Eight took his place. "We need the girl who refused to leave, but stayed to defend the hospital against the bombings, when ordered to leave for her own safety and regardless of the risk to her own life, even though she didn't really know any of them."

The mayor of Two stepped forward. She spoke more softly. "We need the girl who insisted on leaving the tunnel open so your enemies wouldn't be buried alive, even though it nearly cost her her life."

The man from the Capitol spoke again. "We need the girl who voted for the games she hated, simply to try to stop their being even more killings. We need the girl who would put her life and her reputation on the line to fight for the lives of two Capitol girls, granddaughters of your worst enemy, simply because it was the right thing to do. We need Katniss Everdene."

"I have blood on my hands," I protested.

"We all do," he replied, sadly. "But when you speak, people listen. It was what you said from here just over a week ago that cause people in the Districts and the Capitol to rise up as one. Not because you're a symbol, but because you spoke from the heart and because what you said was right. Right now, I don't trust these mayors from the Districts and they don't trust me. Actually, between you and me, most of them don't even trust each other. If you come to any of our meetings you'd wonder how we ever get anything done. The one thing we all agree on is that we trust you to lead us."

I shook my head. "This is all too much for me. I can't do this."

Tatiana didn't help by calling out "You can do it, mom."

I was still shaking my head when another woman approached. Dressed in humble clothes she picked up the pin and said, "Just over a week ago, you spoke of my daughter, Rue, and said it was all for nothing. You have a chance to make sure it isn't for nothing. Do this for all the victims of the games, for all the people who died in the war, for the people who still die from lack of food or medicine. Do this for the mothers who, like me, had to watch their children die. Do this for Rue."

I thought I had no tears left, but I was wrong. Tears were streaming down my face as I finally nodded.

She attached my pin to my blouse. "Katniss Everdene, President Mockingjay."

The crowd took up her call. I put up my hands to silence them. "I have conditions," I said.

Turning first to the Mayor from the Capitol I said, "I don't want to use the Presidential palace."

"Where do you want to live?"

"For now, what used to be the tribute train. A physical reminder that the President is President not only of the Capitol, but also of all the Districts."

I turned to Rue's mother, I said, "You and your family must come with me."

"Me? Why?"

"To remind me who I am. To tell me if I spend so much time being the President that I forget to be Katniss Everdene, Rue's last friend."

Now Rue's mother was sobbing too.

"Or Tatiana's mom."

"I'll remind you too, Mom," Tatiana called out, to much amusement.

And over the next few years, she did, frequently. Until another tragedy tore us apart. But that, as they say, is another story.

_**The first chapter of that "another story", called GAMES RETURN, has now been posted online.**_

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games - The Vengeance Games

Author's notes...

** A review wondered about the rather sudden romance between Jeff and Ariana, so I thought I ought to have them explain their feelings a little more. I hope you like it.**

** This is my first story for the Hunger Games. Please review.**

**Brian**

**THE STORY SO FAR**

**Chapter 1**

**Ariana Snow, granddaughter of the ex President Snow, learns that not only her, but her little sister are to be murdered at the Justice Games, the only chance to save her sister's life is to trust the Katniss Everdeen, the Mockingjay, the one who voted for the games for the children of the Capitol in the first place.**

**Chapter 2**

**Training and the reapings. **

**Chapter 3 **

**The chariots.**

**Chapter 4 **

**The interviews and they hear news on the night before the games.**

**Chapter 5 **

**Painful visits from District Two.**

**Chapter 6 **

**Snakes, Sex, Love and Death.**

**Chapter 7 **

**The final sacrifice and after the games.**


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